Rhode Island § 31-17-2 - Right-Of-Way

§ 31-17-2. Vehicle turning left or right.

(a) The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intended to turn to the left or right shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or so close to it as to constitute an immediate hazard, or shall yield to a pedestrian intending to cross within a crosswalk which the driver of the vehicle must travel to make the left or right turn. The driver, having so yielded and having given a signal when and as required by chapter 16 of this title, may make the left or right turn, and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection from the opposite direction shall yield the right of way to the vehicle making the left or right turn. Violations of this section are subject to the fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4, unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the offending operator under this section.

(b) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver’s license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000) and his/her driver’s license shall be suspended for a period of one year.

(c) As used in this section, “serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.