HB 5420 — AN ACT CONCERNING DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY AT INOPERATIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS.

House ofBill Representatives General Assembly File No.

4085420 JanuaryPublic Session,Act 2021 House Bill No.

542021-61 HouseAN ofACT Representatives,CONCERNING AprilDRIVER 13,RESPONSIBILITY 2021AT TheINOPERATIVE CommitteeTRAFFIC onCONTROL TransportationSIGNALS. reported through REP.

LEMAR of the 96th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY AT INOPERATIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS.

"Authorized emergency vehicle", "class 1 electric bicycle", "class 2 electric bicycle", "class 3 electric bicycle", "driver", "electric HB5420bicycle", /"electric Filefoot scooter", "head lamp", "highway", ["intersection",] "limited access highway", "motor vehicle", "number plate", "operator", House Bill No.

4085420 1"person", HB5420"rotary" Fileor No."roundabout", "shoulder", "stop", "truck" and "vehicle";

408 bicycle", "electric foot scooter", "head lamp", "highway", ["intersection",] "limited access highway", "motor vehicle", "number plate", "operator", "person", "rotary" or "roundabout", "shoulder", "stop", "truck" and "vehicle";

[(6)] (7) "Traffic authority" means the board of police commissioners of any city, town or borough, or the city or town manager, the chief of police, the superintendent of police or any legally elected or appointed officialor board,or any official having similar powersandduties, ofany city, town or boroughthat has no board of police commissioners but has a regularly appointed force, or the board of selectmen of any town in which there is no city or borough with a regularly appointed police force, except that, with respect to state highways and bridges, "traffic authority" means the Office of the State Traffic Administration, provided nothing contained in this section shall be construed to limit or HB5420Public /Act File No.

40821-61 2 HB5420of File3 House Bill No.

4085420 detract from the jurisdiction or authority of the Office of the State Traffic Administration to adopt regulations establishing a uniform system of traffic control signals, devices, signs and markings as provided in section 14-298, and the requirement that no installation of any traffic control signal light shall be made by any city, town or borough until the installation has been approved by the Office of the State Traffic Administration as provided in section 14-299;

ThisApproved actJune shall16, take2021 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section21-61 13 Octoberof 1,3 2021 New section Sec.

2 October 1, 2021 14-297 October 1, 2021 Sec.

3 14-25d(b) TRA Joint Favorable HB5420 / File No.

408 3 HB5420 File No.

408 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $ Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential Minimal Minimal Revenue Gain Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill creates a new infraction for drivers who fail to stop when approaching an intersection controlled by a traffic signal that is inoperative.

To the extent that violations occur, and offenders are fined, the bill results in potential minimal revenue to the General Fund.

Infractions are not crimes and are punishable by fines that usually range from $100 to $300.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to the number of violations.

HB5420 / File No.

408 4 HB5420 File No.

408 OLR Bill Analysis HB 5420 AN ACT CONCERNING DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY AT INOPERATIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS.

SUMMARY This bill requires drivers, when approaching intersections with inoperative traffic signals, to stop their vehicles and proceed as though a stop sign were facing in each direction at the intersection (e.g., a four- way stop), unless a police officer directs them otherwise.

The bill makes violating this requirement an infraction (see BACKGROUND).

Under current law, if a traffic signal is inoperative, the intersection becomes “uncontrolled” and the standard right-of-way rules apply.

These rules vary based on the (1) location and (2) driver’s intended actions.

For example:

1.

at intersections where two or more roads cross each other, a driver must yield to a vehicle on the right if both vehicles arrive at the intersection at about the same time (CGS § 14-245);

2.

at junctions (i.e., where a road joins another road but does not cross it), a driver on the joining road must yield to drivers on the other road if both vehicles arrive at about the same time (CGS § 14-246a);

and 3.

drivers intending to turn left at an intersection or into a driveway or alley must yield to vehicles approaching from the opposite direction (CGS § 14-242(e)).