CHAPTER 671

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 46-208, 46-209, 46-220, 46-222 and
46-256 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and to amend the Code
by adding thereto a section numbered 46-220.1, the new and amended
sections relating generally to the regulation of traffic on the Mar

Approved April 4, 1952

_ Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 46-203, 46-209, 46-220, 46-222 and 46-256 of the Code of
Virginia, as amended, be amended and reenacted, and that the Code of
Virginia be amended by adding thereto a section numbered 46-220.1, the
amended and new sections reading as follows:

§ 46-203. Signals by lights or semaphores.—Signals by lights or
semaphores shall be as follows: Red indicates that traffic then moving
shall stop and remain stopped as long as the red signal is shown, except
in the direction indicated by a lighted green arrow. Green indicates that
traffic shall then move in the direction of the signal and remain in motion
as long as the green signal is given.

Amber indicates that a change is about to be made in the direction
of the moving of traffic. When the amber signal is shown, traffic which
has not already entered the intersection, including the crosswalks, shall
stop but that which has entered the intersection shall continue to move
until the intersection has been entirely cleared.

When semaphores are not in operation, the use of amber light indi-
cates need for caution, and the use of a flashing red indicates that traffic
shall stop before entering the intersection.

§ 46-209. Same; specific instances.——A person shall be guilty of
reckless driving who shall:

(1) Drive a vehicle when not under proper control or with inadequate
or improperly adjusted brakes upon any highway of this State;

(2) While driving a vehicle, overtake and pass another vehicle pro-
ceeeding in the same direction, upon or approaching the crest of a grade or
upon or approaching a curve in the highway, where the driver’s view
along the highway is obstructed, except where the overtaking vehicle is
being operated on a highway having two or more designated lanes of
roadway for each direction of travel or on a designated one-way street or
ighway;

(3) Pass or attempt to pass two other vehicles abreast, moving in
the same direction, except on highways having separate roadways of three
or more lanes for each direction of travel, or on designated one-way streets
or highways;

(4) Overtake or pass any other vehicle proceeding in the same direc-
tion at any steam, diesel or electric railway grade crossing or at any
intersection of highways unless such vehicles are being operated on a
highway having two or more designated lanes of roadway for each direc-
tion of travel or on a designated one-way street or highway, or while
pedestrians are passing or about to pass in front of either of such vehicles,
unless permitted so to do by a traffic light or police officer ;

(5) Fail to stop at a school bus while taking on or discharging school
children, whether going in the same or the opposite direction and to remain
stopped until all school children are clear of the highway ;

(6) Fail to give adequate and timely signals of intention to turn,
partly turn, slow down or stop, as required by §§ 46-233 to 46-237;

(7) Exceed a reasonable speed under the circumstances and traffic
conditions existing at the time; or

(8) Fail to bring his vehicle to a stop immediately before entering
a highway from a side road when there is traffic approaching upon such
highway within five hundred feet of such point of entrance.

§ 46-220. Drive on right side of highways.—Except as otherwise
provided * by law upon all highways of sufficient width the driver of a
vehicle shall drive the same upon the right half of the highway, unless it
is impracticable to travel on such side of the highway and except when
overtaking and passing another vehicle, subject to the limitations ap-
plicable in overtaking and passing set forth in §§ 46-224 and 46-228.

§ 46-220.1. One-way roadways and rotary traffic islands: (1) The
State Highway Commission may designate any highway or any separate
roadway under its jurisdiction for one-way traffic and shall erect approprt-
ate signs and traffic thereon shall move only in the direction designated.

A vehicle passing around a rotary traffic island shall be driven only
to the right of such island.

§ 46-222. Special regulations applicable on streets and highways
laned for traffic—Whenever any highway has been divided into clearly
marked lanes for traffic, drivers of vehicles shall obey the following
regulations:

(1) A vehicle shall normally be driven in the lane nearest the right-
hand edge or curb of the highway when such lane is available for travel
except when overtaking another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn
or as permitted in paragraph (4) of this section;

(2) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as is practicable entirely
within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver
has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety;

(3) Upon a highway which is divided into three lanes a vehicle
shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking and passing
another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn or unless such center lane
is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the direction the
vehicle is proceeding and is signposted or marked to give notice of such
allocation ;

(4) The State Highway Commission, or local authorities, with re-
spect to highways under their jurisdiction, may designate right-hand
lanes for slow moving traffic and when such lanes are signposted or
marked to give notice of such designation a vehicle may be driven in any
lane allocated to traffic moving in the direction such vehicle is proceeding,
but when traveling within such inside lanes vehicles shall be driven at
approximately the speed authorized.in such lanes and speed shall not
unnecessarily be decreased so as to block, hinder or retard traffic;

(5) Wherever a highway is marked with double traffic lines consist-
ing of a solid line immediately adjacent to a broken line, no vehicle shall
be driven to the left of such line if the solid line is on the right of the
broken line, except that it shall be lawful to make a left turn for the
purpose of entering or leaving a public, private or commercial road or
entrance;

(6) Wherever a highway is marked with double traffic lines consist-
ing of two immediately adjacent solid lines, no vehicle shall be driven to
the left of such lines, except that it shall be lawful to make a left turn for
the purpose of entering or leaving a public, private or commercial road
or entrance.

§ 46-256. Stopping on highways; general rule.-—No vehicle shall be
stopped in such a manner as to impede or render dangerous the use of
the highway by others, except in the case of an emergency as the result
of an accident or mechanical breakdown, in which case the vehicle shall
he removed from the highway as soon as possible; and such removal may
be ordered by a police officer at the expense of the owner if the disabled
vehicle creates a traffic hazard. |

No vehicle shall be stopped except close to and parallel to the right-
hand edge of the curb or roadway, except that a vehicle may be stopped
close to and parallel to the left-hand curb or edge of roadway on one-way
streets or may be parked at an angle where permitted by the State High-
way Commission or local authorities with respect to streets and highways
under their jurisdiction.