North Dakota road safety rule revisions take effect

Starting Aug. 1 in North Dakota, multiple rule changes take effect that are intended to benefit road safety.

The state’s move-over law is the focus of the first rule revision.

Statute has required drivers to move over to an adjacent lane or slow down to a “safe” speed before passing emergency vehicles or transportation department vehicles with flashing lights activated. Exceptions are made for situations when safety, road, weather and/or traffic conditions do not allow.

Advocates for revisiting the rule said that many drivers in the state are unclear about which types of vehicles are included in the protection.

“What it clearly does not cover is a school bus, a motor coach, a tractor-trailer, or a family vehicle,” Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo, previously told lawmakers.

The Legislature approved, and the governor signed into law, a rule revision to require drivers approaching a vehicle displaying flashing hazard warning signals on a divided highway outside the limits of a city to move over a lane or slow down while maintaining a “safe speed for the road conditions.”

The North Dakota Highway Patrol says the rule revision will apply to the interstate system and to roadways that include U.S. 85, 83, and 2.

Violators would face $20 fines.

Roundabouts

Also in effect the first of the month is a new rule on roundabout use.

The new law requires travelers to use their turn signal when exiting a rotary traffic island, or roundabout. Specifically, drivers must use their blinkers just after passing the exit prior to the one they plan to use to leave the roundabout.

Troopers say activating the right turn signal notifies other drivers of your intention to leave the roundabout, and will aid in maintaining a steady flow of traffic into the roundabout.

Violators would face $20 fines.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation says roundabouts are located on the following highways:

• ND 23 Johnson’s Corner
• ND 22 south of Killdeer
• ND 200 and ND 58 intersection
• Killdeer bypass and ND 200 intersection
• Killdeer bypass and ND 22 intersection
• ND 23 at Keene corner
• US 281 at Carrington
• OLD ND 23A in Watford City

Seat belts

One more rule change covers seat belt use.

Starting Aug. 1, the state will shift from a secondary seat belt law to a primary law.

Currently, a driver must be pulled over for another traffic violation before getting a seat belt ticket.

The new law allows law enforcement to stop a driver and issue a citation solely for not buckling up. All front-seat and back-seat vehicle occupants are required to be buckled up regardless of age. Violators would be fined $20.

North Dakota is the fourth state to cover all vehicle occupants in their primary seat belt enforcement, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Maine, New York and Oregon also apply the rule to all occupants. LL

More Land Line coverage of North Dakota news is available.