7 Steps to Making a Correct Stop at a Stop Sign
7 Steps to Making a Correct Stop at a Stop Sign

One person was injured in a crash in Victorville last month after a driver ran a stop sign. The crash happened around 8 a.m. near the intersection of Seneca Road and Rodeo Drive.

According to police, a Jeep Compass was traveling west on Seneca Road when the driver ran a stop sign. The Compass then clipped a Chevrolet Impala that was traveling north on Rodeo Drive. The Jeep rolled over into the northbound lane.

One person in the Impala was taken to the hospital. The two other occupants of the Impala and the Jeep driver were uninjured. Rodeo Drive was closed in both directions at Seneca Road while the scene was cleared. Westbound Seneca Road was also blocked.

Stop sign violations are responsible for more than half a million traffic accidents every year. Make sure you don’t become part of the problem by following these 7 steps to making a correct stop at a stop sign:

  1. Prepare to stop as soon as you see the stop sign.
  2. Allow yourself ample distance to stop. If you are following the speed limit, you should have plenty of time to stop. As a rule, you should start slowing down about 150 feet before the stop sign.
  3. Smoothly come to a complete stop. Never “roll through” the stop slowly, even if you don’t think anyone else is coming. You never know when a pedestrian, bicyclist or another vehicle might be approaching the intersection.
  4. Stop slightly behind the stop sign, not in front of it. If you are having trouble seeing around the intersection, slowly inch forward until you have a clear view.
  5. Look both ways for traffic. Only continue through the intersection if it is clear or if you are certain the oncoming traffic is a safe distance away. When it doubt, play it safe.
  6. Check for pedestrians. Even if there is no marked crosswalk, allow pedestrians to cross before you enter the intersection. Even if you don’t think they have the right of way in a particular situation, it’s better to be safe than “right.”
  7. Obey the right-of-way rules. If you’re at a four-way stop, then whoever approached the intersection first should be first to go. However, if someone tries to go through the intersection out of turn, let them. Again, it’s better to be safe than right in these situations. If you’re at a two-way stop, make sure you wait until all nonstop traffic is cleared, then allow the first person who approached the stop sign to go. If two vehicles come to a stop at the same time, the person traveling straight through or making a righthand turn should go before a vehicle making a lefthand turn.

“Like other traffic signals, stop signs are there to make the roads safer for motorists and pedestrians. Violations of these traffic signals is a major cause of accidents,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in an auto accident and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.

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