Louisiana § RS 32:123 - Stop signs and yield signs; penalties for violations

§ RS 32:123. Stop signs and yield signs; penalties for violations

A.  Preferential right of way at an intersection may be indicated by stop signs or yield signs.

B.  Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal, every driver and operator of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection.  After having stopped, the driver shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles which have entered the intersection from another highway or which are approaching so closely on said highway as to constitute an immediate hazard.

C.  At a four-way stop intersection, the driver of the first vehicle to stop at the intersection shall be the first to proceed.  If two or more vehicles reach the four-way stop intersection at the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.

D.  The driver or operator of a vehicle approaching a yield sign shall slow down to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions, or shall stop if necessary, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway.  Having slowed or stopped in this manner, the driver shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian legally crossing the roadway on which he is driving, and to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard.

E.(1)  Any person who is found guilty of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a violation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the following penalties:

(a)  If the violation results in the injury of another person, the offender shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars and may be subjected to a driver's license suspension for a period up to ninety days, or both.

(b)  If the violation results in the serious bodily injury of another person, the offender shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars and may be subjected to a driver's license suspension for a period up to one hundred eighty days, or both.

(c)  If the violation results in the death of another person, the offender shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars and may be subjected to a driver's license suspension for a period up to three hundred sixty days, or both.

(d)  In addition to the fines and penalties set forth in Subparagraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this Paragraph, whoever is responsible for these violations shall be subject to the following penalties:

(i)  If the violation results in serious bodily injury of another person as defined in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the offender may be subjected to imprisonment up to six months.

(ii)  If the violation results in the death of another person, the offender may be subject to imprisonment up to twelve months.

(2)  For purposes of this Section, "serious bodily injury" shall mean a bodily injury which involves unconsciousness, extreme physical pain, or protracted and obvious disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty, or a substantial risk of death.

Acts 1962, No. 310, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1145, §1; Acts 2006, No. 195, §1; Acts 2010, No. 981, §1; Acts 2012, No. 811, §9, eff. July 1, 2012.