A guide to right-of-way laws in Rhode Island
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Studies have shown that you are at the highest risk of having an accident when you are at an intersection. In fact, 1/6 of all accidents occur when a vehicle makes a left turn in violation of the obligation to give way to oncoming traffic. Rhode Island has right-of-way laws for your protection and the protection of others you may encounter while driving. It makes sense to learn the rules and follow them. And remember, even if the circumstances are such that technically you should have the right of way, you can't just take it - you have to wait for it to be ceded to you.
Summary of Rhode Island Right of Way Laws
Rhode Island's right-of-way laws can be summarized as follows:
Turn
When turning left, you must give way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
When turning right, yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
At an unmarked intersection, the vehicle that reached it first passes first, followed by vehicles on the right.
Ambulances
Emergency vehicles must always be given the right of way. Turn right and wait for the ambulance to pass.
If you are already at the intersection, keep going until you get to the other side and then stop.
Carousel
- When entering a roundabout, you must give way to motorists already at the roundabout, as well as to pedestrians.
Pedestrians
You must give way to pedestrians at crosswalks, whether they are marked or not.
In the interests of safety, even if a pedestrian is walking towards a traffic light or crossing the road in the wrong place, you must still give way to him.
Blind pedestrians can be recognized by a white cane or by the presence of a guide dog. They always have the right of way, regardless of signs or signals, and are not subject to the same penalties as sighted violators.
Common Misconceptions About Right of Way Laws in Rhode Island
Often, Rhode Island motorists mistakenly assume that if there is an intersection and a marked crosswalk elsewhere on the roadway, pedestrians must use the marked crosswalk. However, in Rhode Island, any intersection is considered a pedestrian crossing, even if it does not have "Go" or "Don't Go" signals and markings. Pedestrians crossing the road at any intersection when the light is in their favor do so legally.
Penalties for non-compliance
Rhode Island does not have a points system, but traffic violations are recorded. In Rhode Island, if you fail to yield to a pedestrian or other vehicle, you can be fined $75. However, if you do not yield the right of way to a blind pedestrian, the punishment will be much more onerous - a fine of $1,000.
For more information, see the Rhode Island Driver's Manual, Section III, pages 28 and 34-35, Section IV, page 39, and Section VIII, page 50.
