When it comes to entering intersections, a green light does not always mean go. LaGrange Police said drivers blocking city intersections can now expect a ticket instead of warnings.
“You should never enter into an intersection that you cannot exit,” Officer Wesley Engle said. “It causes more traffic congestion.”
Engle issued three warnings, which he believed were taken lightly, to drivers blocking intersections last week. Obstruction of an intersection, he said, can result in a ticket with fines of up to $100.
“We have no choice but to step up the enforcement,” he said.
The intersections at Lafayette Parkway and Morgan Street, and Lafayette and Greenwood Avenue, are two of the city’s most commonly blocked intersections. Traffic signs telling drivers not to block the intersection are posted throughout LaGrange.
Blocking an intersection prevents oncoming cars from passing safely. According to police, issuing tickets is the next attempt in decreasing the dangerous driving habit.
“It could cost someone their life,” Engle said.
Intersections are an important factor in the fast arrival of ambulances, fire and other emergency personnel.
Proceeding through them safely prevents accidents, in which police said a car blocking an intersection is almost always at fault. According to police, oncoming vehicles would have the right of way.
“It can also prevent an aggressive environment,” Engle said.
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