Open Intersections: Bismarck Drivers Need A Refresher

The development I live in has a private Facebook page.  There was a thread recently concerning how people in our development need a refresher when it comes to how to drive into an open intersection.  We have no stop signs in our development, only open intersections.  Well, there was an accident recently near my house that more than likely could've been avoided if the people in my development simply remembered the rules at open intersections.  That's right, jog your memory and think back to what you learned in Drivers Ed.

I'll go one step further, I think there are a lot of people in Bismarck Mandan that need a refresher.  Not only do I run into open intersections at my development, but on my way to the gym each day at the YMCA.  Often what I see is that people are truly clueless on how to handle them.  Heck, people seem to have a hard enough time with 4 way stops, let alone open intersections.

One type of person that you will run into is the driver who is trying to be "nice."  They just wave everybody through.  I know they're trying to be courteous, but what they're doing is dangerous.  There are rules of the road.  They need to be followed.

The other common person you'll run into at open intersections in Bismarck Mandan is the person who thinks because he or she has the "biggest rig," they get to go first.  You know who you are.

According to the North Dakota DOT there are three main rules to follow at open intersections.

#1  At an open intersection, if other vehicles arrive at the intersection at the same time as you, you treat it as a four-way stop.  All vehicles on the left must yield to vehicles on their right.  You know, "the right of way" that we all learned back in Drivers Education.

#2 If your vehicle arrives at the open intersection first, you have the right of way.  With one exception, and that brings me to the final rule.

#3 If you are turning left at an open intersection, you must yield to oncoming traffic even if you arrive first.

Here's a traffic tip concerning open intersections from the Bismarck Police Department.

It's really that simple.  Know it, learn it, live it!  Happy New Year everybody.