GENERAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC LAW L. 1917, Chap. 655. AN ACT to provide for the uniform regulation of vehicles, animals and pedestrians on any public highway in the state, constituting chapter seventy of the consolidated laws. CHAPTER 70 OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS. Article 1. Short title; definitions; application (§§ 1-3). Section 1. Short title. 2. Definitions. 3. Application. ARTICLE 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS. Section 1. Short title. This chapter shall be known as the general highway traffic law." § 2. Definitions. The following terms whenever used in this chapter, except as otherwise specifically indicated, shall be defined to mean and shall be held to include each of the meanings herein below specifically set forth, and any such term used in the singular number shall be held to include the plural: "Public highway" shall include any highway, country road, state highway, state road, public street, avenue, alley, park, parkway, or driveway, in any city, town or village within the state. "Street" or "roadway" shall include that part of the public highway or a bridge intended for vehicles. "Curb" shall include the boundaries of the street, whether marked by curb stone or not so marked. 66 Crossing" shall include all crossings marked by a pavement or otherwise and the extension of the sidewalk space across intersecting streets. "Street intersection" shall include the area bounded by the side lines, real or projected, of two or more streets which meet or cross each other. "Vehicle" shall include a horse and every kind of conveyance, except a baby carriage, a street surface car and a push cart. "Motor vehicle" shall include all vehicles propelled by any power other than muscular power, which do not run upon a rail or rails. "Motorcycle" shall include all motor vehicles designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground. "Horse" shall include all domestic animals used as draught animals or beasts of burden. "Driver" shall include a person who propels or operates or who is in charge of a vehicle. "Pedestrian" shall include all persons making use of public highway for foot passage. "One-way traffic" is traffic restricted to one direction. "Parking space" shall mean that part of any street designated by local ordinance or regulation as a place for the standing of vehicles. City" or "village" shall include that portion of a county which is within the limits of an incorporated city or village, and town" shall include all portions of the county outside the limits of an incorporated city or village. 66 "Reckless driving" for the purpose of this chapter shall include driving or using a vehicle or street surface car or any appliance or accessory thereof in a manner which unnecessarily interferes with the free and proper use of the highway, or unnecessarily endangers users of the highway. "Safety zone" shall mean such space within a street or public highway as shall be established for persons on foot. § 3. Application. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the city of New York. ARTICLE 2. USE OF HIGHWAYS REGULATED. Section 10. Pedestrians. 11. Stopping, turning, passing and waiting of vehicles. 12. Right of way and operation of vehicles. 13. Signals. 14. Speed regulations. 15. Parking, safety zones and cab stands. 16. Loading and unloading vehicles. 17. Vehicles. 18. Street surface cars. 19. Motorcycles, bicycles and similar vehicles. 20. Miscellaneous regulations. 21. Duties of local authorities. 22. Powers of local authorities. 10. Pedestrians. Pedestrians walking upon the traveled part of a street and not the sidewalk shall, when meeting or passing vehicles, be subject to and comply with the rules governing vehicles as to meeting, turning out and passing, except as to signals. § 11. Stopping, turning, passing, and waiting of vehicles. 1. A vehicle turning into another street to the right shall turn the corner as near the right-hand curb as practicable. be 2. A vehicle turning to the left into another street, shall, fore turning, pass to the right of and beyond the center of the intersecting streets; provided, however, that if directed by a traffic officer the vehicle shall pass in front of instead of around the point of intersection. 3. In turning a corner of intersecting streets a vehicle shall be driven with extreme caution and under control. 4. A vehicle passing around a circle shall keep to the right from entrance to exit. 5. Vehicles turning around or crossing from one side of the street to another, except for the purpose of passing other vehicles or because of dangers in the streets, shall do so by turning to the left so as to head in the general direction of traffic after they have crossed the street. 6. A vehicle in overtaking or meeting a street surface car which has been stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharg ing a passenger or passengers, shall not pass or approach within seven feet of such car so long as such car is receiving or discharging passengers, except that in a city having a million or more population such vehicle shall not pass or approach within eight feet of such car except as indicated by a safety zone. In passing any street surface car extreme care must be used by the driver. 7. On an avenue, street or boulevard divided longitudinally by a parkway, walk, space for street surface cars, viaduct, zone of safety, cab stand, parking space or other similar obstructions, vehicles shall keep to the right of such division. 12. Right of way and operation of vehicles. 1. When in the performance of duty the following vehicles shall have the right of way: United States mail, police, fire, fire patrol, bureau of buildings, emergency repair of public service corporations, ambulances and the military; but this shall not relieve the driver or owner of any such vehicle from consequences of the arbitrary or careless exercise of this right for injuries inflicted. 2. No vehicle and no street surface car, except as provided in subdivision one of this section, shall be driven through a procession, except with the permission or by order of a police officer. If the procession takes more than five minutes to pass, it shall be broken and traffic allowed to go through. 3. Two vehicles which are passing each other in opposite directions shall have the right of way, and, except in cities and villages, no other vehicle to the rear of either of such two vehicles shall pass or attempt to pass such two vehicles while they are passing each other. 4. Every driver of a vehicle approaching the intersection of a street or public road shall grant the right of way at such intersection to any vehicle approaching from his right; provided, that wherever traffic officers are stationed they shall have full power to regulate traffic. 5. A vehicle must not be so driven as to impede or obstruct the progress of the apparatus of the fire department or any official or employee of a city, town or village in the discharge of his duty at a fire. The driver of a vehicle must not drive through or within the established fire lines or over a line of fire hose. On the approach of fire apparatus, as evidenced by suitable and continuous warning or by street signals operated from fire headquarters, isible or audible one to another, indicating the route of the apparatus, the driver of a vehicle must immediately draw up such vehicle as near as practicable to the right-hand curb and parallel thereto, and bring it to a standstill, and the driver of a street car must immediately stop his car and keep it stationary until the apparatus has passed. 6. The vehicle having the middle line of the highway on its left shall have the right of way. In meeting both vehicles shall keep to the right, so as to insure safe passage, and this without regard to the middle line of the highway. Slowly moving vehicles must move as near to the curb as practicable; rapidly moving vehicles must occupy the space lying immediately next to and parallel with the middle of the highway. 7. A vehicle overtaking another vehicle shall pass on the left side of the overtaken vehicle and not pull over to the right thereof until entirely clear of it. 8. The driver of an overtaking vehicle shall signal his desire to pass an overtaken vehicle by a blast or stroke of the horn or other signaling device, and thereupon it shall be the duty of the overtaken vehicle, if possible, to turn to the right so as to allow the overtaking vehicle a reasonable space in which to pass, or to warn by signal the impossibility of such passage. 9. It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle within a safety zone. 10. In all passing and overtaking such assistance shall be given by the occupants of each vehicle respectively to the other as the circumstances shall demand and either request by voice or signal, and each shall exercise care and caution to get clearance and avoid accident. 11. No vehicle shall emerge from an alley, stable, garage or driveway except slowly and under control of the driver who shall give a proper warning by voice or signaling device to passing vehicles and pedestrians. 12. The use of a motor muffler cut-out is prohibited on any highway within the limits of a city or incorporated village. 13. Gong and siren whistles shall not be used on any vehicle other than ambulances and vehicles operated by a police department, fire department, sheriff, authorized public utility company when on emergency calls and the United States mail and military services. 14. A person operating or driving a motor vehicle shall on signal by raising the hand or otherwise from a person driving, |