Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 36 - MOTOR VEHICLES

AN ACT TO AMEND THE MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE IN RELATION TO TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

Section 1. That the Act entitled "An Act concerning Motor Vehicles and making Uniform the Law relating Thereto", being Chapter 10, Vol. 36, Laws of Delaware, be and the same is hereby amended by adding, immediately after Section 100 thereof, two new sections to be known as Section 100A and Section 100B respectively as follows:

"Section 100A. The State Highway Department, with reference to State Highways, and local authorities, with reference to highways under their jurisdiction, are hereby authorized to erect and maintain at any intersection a traffic control signal or signals, being any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and proceed.

(a) Whenever traffic at an intersection is controlled by a traffic control signal, exhibiting colored lights, or the words "GO", "CAUTION", and/or "STOP", said lights and terms shall indicate as follows:

(1) GREEN OR "GO":--Traffic facing the signal may proceed, except that vehicular traffic proceeding under such signal shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and vehicles lawfully within a crosswalk or the intersection at the time such signal was exhibited.

(2) YELLOW OR "CAUTION":--When shown alone following the green or "GO"--Traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection unless so close to the intersection that a stop cannot be made in safety.

(3) RED OR "STOP":--Traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection or at such other point as may be plainly and officially designated, and remain standing until Green or "GO" is shown alone.

(b) The driver of a vehicle or the motorman of a street car intending to turn to the right or left at an intersection where traffic is controlled by traffic control signals or by a police officer shall proceed to make either turn with proper care to avoid accident and only upon the "GO" signal, unless otherwise directed by a police officer or by official traffic signs or special signals."

"Section 100B, Where lanes for traffic and/or directional signs are officially marked or placed on or along any highway or at any intersection by authority of the State Highway Department, or any local authority, each vehicle being operated on such marked highway or intersection shall be driven in the lane or in accordance with the marking or sign indicated for traffic in the direction such vehicle desires to proceed."

It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any of the foregoing provisions and any person convicted of a violation of the foregoing shall be punished as provided by Section 142 of the Uniform Motor Vehicle Law, to which this law is an amendment.

Section 2. That nothing in this Act shall be held to prevent any incorporated city or town in this State from establishing and maintaining any such traffic control signal or signals, within its corporate limits, as shall be authorized by ordinance or by direction of the proper constituted authority of such city or town.

Approved April 12, 1935.