Arizona Right-of-way Laws

28-771 Vehicle at intersection; exception; entering freeway
28-772 Vehicle turning left at intersection
28-773 Through highway; intersection entrance
28-774 Highway access from private road or driveway
28-775 Authorized emergency vehicles; approaching; following fire apparatus; defensive driving schools; driver license examinations
28-776 Funeral procession right‑of‑way; funeral escort vehicles; certification; fee; definition

28-771. Vehicle at intersection; exception; entering freeway

A. When two vehicles enter or approach an intersection from different streets or highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. This subsection does not apply to vehicles approaching or entering an uncontrolled "T" intersection if the vehicle on the left is on a continuing street or highway and the vehicle on the right is on the terminating street or highway. The vehicle on the terminating street or highway shall yield to the vehicle on the continuing street or highway.

B. The right-of-way rule prescribed in subsection A of this section is modified at through highways and otherwise as stated in this article.

C. Intersecting road crossings between the main roadway of a freeway and acceleration lanes, ramps or any other approach roads are not intersections as defined in section 28-601, and subsection A of this section does not control questions of right-of-way at the crossings. A vehicle entering a freeway from an acceleration lane, a ramp or any other approach road shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle on the main roadway of the freeway entering the merging area at the same time.

28-772. Vehicle turning left at intersection

The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle that is approaching from the opposite direction and that is within the intersection or so close to the intersection as to constitute an immediate hazard.

28-773. Through highway; intersection entrance

A. The driver of a vehicle shall stop as required by section 28-855 at the entrance to a through highway and shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles that have entered the intersection from the through highway or that are approaching so closely on the through highway as to constitute an immediate hazard, but the driver having so yielded may proceed and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection on the through highway shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle that is proceeding into or across the through highway.

B. The driver of a vehicle shall stop in obedience to a stop sign as required by this chapter at an intersection where a stop sign is erected at one or more entrances to the intersection although not a part of a through highway, shall proceed cautiously and shall yield to vehicles that are not obliged to stop and that are within the intersection or are approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard, but may then proceed.

28-774. Highway access from private road or driveway

The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from a private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to all closely approaching vehicles on the highway.

28-775. Authorized emergency vehicles; approaching; following fire apparatus; defensive driving schools; driver license examinations

A. Except when otherwise directed by a police officer, on the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a red or red and blue light or lens visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle and that is giving an audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle or bell, the driver of another vehicle shall:

1. Yield the right-of-way.

2. Immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection.

3. Stop and remain in the position prescribed in paragraph 2 of this subsection until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

B. An authorized emergency vehicle being operated with activated emergency lights and siren is exempt from the requirements of this section.

C. The driver of a vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or drive into or park the vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

D. When a police vehicle is giving a visual signal with at least one lighted red or red and blue light or lens and is giving an audible signal by siren, the driver of another vehicle:

1. Shall not approach or drive parallel to the police vehicle.

2. Shall maintain a distance of at least three hundred feet behind any police vehicle involved in an emergency until the police vehicle moves to the lane closest to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway.

E. If a person who drives a vehicle approaches a stationary authorized emergency vehicle and the authorized emergency vehicle is giving a signal by displaying alternately flashing red or red and blue lights, the person shall do either of the following:

1. If on a highway having at least four lanes with at least two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle, proceed with due caution and if possible, with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle.

2. If changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe, proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions.

F. This section does not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.

G. Defensive driving school courses that are offered by defensive driving schools operated pursuant to chapter 8, article 7 of this title may include educational information relating to subsections D and E. The department may include information relating to subsections D and E in any of the department's examination, information or education material.

28-776. Funeral procession right-of-way; funeral escort vehicles; certification; fee; definition

A. Pedestrians and the operators of all vehicles, except emergency vehicles, shall yield the right-of-way to each vehicle that is a part of a funeral procession being led by a funeral escort vehicle. The driver of the funeral escort vehicle may direct the drivers of other vehicles in the procession to proceed through any intersection or to make turns or other movements, and the other vehicles may continue to follow and make the turns or other movements as are made by or as directed by the driver of the funeral escort vehicle notwithstanding any traffic control device prescribed by statute or local ordinance, except that a driver of a vehicle in the funeral procession shall not exceed the posted speed limit and shall exercise reasonable and prudent care to avoid colliding with any other vehicle or pedestrian on the roadway. Each vehicle in a funeral procession shall have its headlights lighted.

B. A driver of a funeral escort vehicle who is certified pursuant to subsection D of this section may direct and control the drivers of vehicles in a funeral procession and any other vehicle in or approaching any intersection to stop, proceed or make the turns or other movements as required without regard to any traffic control device prescribed by statute or local ordinance. Funeral escort vehicles may exceed the speed limit by fifteen miles per hour when overtaking processions to direct traffic at the next intersection. A funeral escort vehicle shall be equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a red or red and blue light or lens visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle.

C. The sheriff in each county shall register funeral escort vehicles and issue an identification sticker or plate that is affixed to the vehicle in order to identify the vehicle as a funeral escort vehicle. When acting as a funeral escort, the driver of a properly equipped and registered funeral escort vehicle has all of the rights and privileges of a driver of an authorized emergency vehicle proceeding to an emergency call as provided under section 28-624.

D. The sheriff in each county may certify any person who holds at least a valid class D driver license issued by this state as a certified driver of a funeral escort vehicle if the person:

1. Completes a training program in motor vehicle safety and traffic control safety as prescribed by the sheriff.

2. Pays the fee that is prescribed by the sheriff for the program and that does not exceed the cost of the program.

E. For the purposes of this section, "funeral procession" means two or more vehicles accompanying the body of a deceased person, including a funeral escort vehicle registered by the sheriff.

----- Original Message -----
From: RLK
To: 'Garry Van Kirk'
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 7:58 PM
Subject: RE: KILL 0R MAIM A MOTORCYCLIST-GO TO JAIL/PAY A FINE


Garry,


Unfortunately, I was one of the victims of an inattentive driver. He pled no contest to a failure-to-yield charge, paid a fine, and walked away free as a bird. He never said he didn’t see me, he said “I thought I could beat him”. Talk about impaired judgment. If he thought he could beat me, how the hell did he hit me with his right front. Where is the justice here? He gets off with a several hundred dollar fine, and I get 2.5 months in a COMA, almost five months in intensive care, 8 months with 24 pins through my leg, amputation after 8 months of all that, and, not to mention the 3 million dollars in medical bills. Here’s another clincher, in the state of PA (where the accident happened), drivers are only required to carry $15,000 of accidental medical, whether they are at fault, or not. In my case, he may as well not even had insurance. Lucky for me, I had better insurance coverage that enabled up to live for the year-and-a-half that me and my wife were out of work.



There are many reasons for this type of accident, many of them listed here. Many tend to forget that driving is a privilege, not a right. The American public has become much too comfortable driving. I have watched drivers that pay more attention to their pet, than they do to their driving. One of my pet peeves has become drivers that make turns with a cell phone in their ear. I have been beside many that are not watching and go wide in a turn, encroaching on the parallel turning lane. I don’t ride a bike anymore, but I do drive a full-size pickup. I am just waiting for some idiot to challenge me in a turn lane. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t miss riding, something that an inattentive driver took away.



If you think I’m bitter, you are right on. An-Eye-For-An-Eye? How about a Leg-For-A-Leg? I am doing better now, but my life ended the day that idiot’s mind was on something else, and I just got in the way.


Keep up the fight,


Ron K.

I was injured in a motorcycle accident by a woman who failed to yield at stop sign.

Hello There!

Amputee Stories
Antony Smith

Hi!, Well here goes. I am a 24 year old amputee of about 6 months. I was injured in a motorcycle accident by a woman who failed to yield at stop sign. Well actually she stopped (why she even bothered I still don't know) then without so much as a glance to the left or right and with impeccable timing, floored the gas pedal just as I entered the intersection. Not a damn thing I could do. After the impact I took a little flight through the air and landed on my head (good thing I had that 300$ helmet on). Skidded abit on that with a few bounces then slid on my left shoulder abit (good thing I had that 500$ leather jacket). Finally when I came to a stop I was MAD AS HELL (If I had a gun probably would have shot whomever had hit me on sight). When I went to get up I was told to stay down by a man who witnessed the accident because I might have a back injury.

Thats when I noticed the strange sensation coming from somewhere down my left leg. After that all kinds of people showed up. I told one of them to call my wife (not even married a year yet). After all she was only about 1/3 of a mile away because I had just left for work. She showed up just after they loaded me on the ambulance. Luckily for me the nearest hospital was 1/2 mile away. Talk about your quick response time. They immediatley took me to Shock Trauma in Baltimore (A learning hospital). For the next two weeks I became the Human guinea pig. Finally when parts of my foot were turning funny shade of green and my fever was still nearing 106 degrees they decided we had better amputate before he dies. Did I mention the pain of them trying to "save the foot" was pure hell three times a day like clockwork. Even with all that Morphine and several other pain medications having them rip off muscle and skin tissue was very painful. The first day the Orthopedic told me 80% chance of losing the foot. After about a week I had had enough but they hadn't they were going to save that foot even if it killed me.

To tell you the truth I didn't want the amputation but when they told me they were going to have to do it I was scared, relieved, angry, and about 100 other emotions all at once. My wife who was with me every day all day saw to it that I got to talk to the amputee liason there. Her name is Dee and she was very helpful and imformative (Her husband is an amputee). She saw to it that I got to talk to Doug Burguine, the prothetist who works out of the hospital, He was very helpful as well. The information I had recieved from these two people was very helpful. Suddenly the idea of the amputation was not as bad as laying there in pain any longer. The surgeon who did the amputation did some really good work. I was no longer in pain untill I got home, when the morphine wore off then the percoset ran out and the healing began.

Still the pain was not as bad as having the foot like it was. Then I just layed there awhile (weeks) healing. Thats how I got this computer life insurance gave me 8000$ for losing the leg (how nice of them) which paid the bills and bought me this computer (I should gone for the gold and spent a whole lot more) After Doug(the prothetist finally got me fitted) I headed back to work Part time at first and within about a month I was full time again. I am a printers apprentice so I get to load lots of paper into presses, climb all over the presses, and do general acrobatics, all day long while I am on my feet. Boy am I tired when I get home (wife doesn't like this). I am doing okay with it now but buisness is slow, don't know what I am going to do when they want me there 12 hours a day 8 is definitly enough .

Well thats about it I guess. I am your typical victim of a motorcycle accident who has lived and recieved the dreaded amputation but I am still alive and trying to keep my life pieced together long enough to get into college (so I can get the proverbial better job) This isn't as easy as it looks. Takes a lot of patience and determination on both my and my wifes part (sometimes she has trouble with this) (ow! she hit me) (see what I mean). For a LBK of 6 months I think I have done pretty good but the future scares the hell out of me. Now how much was that brand new motorcycle I wanted????
Email bikeraccsurvivor@bacsuv.com

Website http://www.amputee-online.com/amputee/intros2.html