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Illegal to wait in intersection before turn

Alexandria, MN,Minnesota 56308
Alexandria, MN Minnesota 225 7th Ave E
P.O. Box 549

To the editor:

I am writing this in response to the Friday, January 17 “Thumbs Up” comment on left-turning drivers. They commented that, “Once in the turning lane, some drivers are failing to proceed partially into the intersection so they can complete their left turn on the yellow light. As a result, they have to wait for the next light and all the other drivers in the left-turn have to wait as well.”

If you do proceed into the intersection, you are risking a ticket. It is illegal to proceed into the intersection unless you can complete the full turn. If you proceed into the intersection and an emergency vehicle comes from your left or right, they would not be able to get through. Everyone who has taken the 55 Alive class since 2011 knows this.

The intersection gridlock law (169.15 Impeding Traffic; Intersection Gridlock) became effective on January 1, 2011. In part, the law states: “A driver of a vehicle shall not enter an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal until the driver is able to move the vehicle immediately, continuously and completely through the intersection without impeding or blocking the subsequent movement of cross traffic.”