Smyrna times., 1924-10-22
ASSERTS DRIVERS IGNORE LAW

Failure to Observe Right of Way Rule
Accident Cause, Says Superinten-
dent Reynolds of Highway Police
That the failure of motorists to OBJ
serve the right-Of-way rule and
Boulevard stop provision of the State
Motor Vehicle law as stated IN Sec
ton 217 is the cause of the majority
of automobile intersection accidents
was the statement of c. c. Reynolds.
superintendent of the State Police at
a conference with officers of the Del
aware Safety Council recently. This
provision of the regulations was in
troduced at the last session of the
Legislature at the direct behest of the
Delaware Safety Council as it is one
of the most effective safe practice
rules complied with. The law cover
ing these two points reads: "The op-
orator or driver of a vehicle upon anv
street, road or alley within this State
shall have the right of way over the
operator or driver of another vehicle
who is approaching from the left on
an intersecting street, road or allev;
and shall give the right of way to an
operator or driver of a vehicle ap-
preaching from the right on an inter-
secting street, road or alley; provid-
ed, however, that wherever traffic Of
ticers are stationed they shall have
full power to regulate; provide furth-
er, however, that on any principal
highway outside the limits of any city
or town, the State Highway Depart
ment shall have the right to declare
that vehicles travelling on such princi-
pal highway shall have the right of
way over vehicles approaching said
principal highway from the intersect-
ing roads, and provided further that
the State Highway Department shall
erect and maintain wherever it is
deemed necessary, clear and legible
signs requiring motor vehicles before
driving into or across such highway
to slacken speed or to come to a full
stop as the sign shall specify or re-
quire.'
Car To Right Has the Right of Way
1T should be born in mind, how
ever,' said Mr.. Reynolds, chat the
law giving the operator on the right,
the right of way means only that
when two motorists arrive at an in
about the same time, the
one on the right takes precedence. Ii |
does not mean that the man coming !
from the right is licensed to make a
mad dash for an intersection in order I.
to get the right of way. The State /
Highway Department is now erecting I.
a number of signs as required by the !
law calling attention to the fact that !
motorists must come to a full stop be- /
fore entering a number Of arterial /
such as the dupont Boule- +
ward, Philadelphia Pike or Concord F..
Pike. Eventually all roads leading to
these arteries will be so marked. This
IS in accordance with the best traffic
practice which holds that traffic on
main arteries should have right of
way over those entering from side
streets, or roads. The signs erected
~ the State Highway Department
)ear a large cross with the word
Stop" above and main Highway 300
Feet Ahead" below.
ignorance of Law Cause for Accidents
"We believe" continued Mr.. Revn-
lids, "that the failure of large num-
'er of motorists to observe the Boule-
'ard stop and the right of way rule
S largely caused by their ignorance
# the law, and that when this matter
S brought to their attention and the
prevention possibilities of
hese two practices are pointed out,
We shall have a large body of law
biding motorists engaged in these
wO practices"