BACK ROAD DANGER
Thursday, August 21st, 2008 -- 1:54 PM
Uncontrolled intersections can be found all over Wisconsin?especially on the back roads.Rick Stadelman, the executive director of the Wisconsin Towns Association says municipalities aren't required to put up any road signs?
"The town, village, city or county (make that decision)," Stadelman says, "It's a local decision?whether they should control an intersection with control signals."
You might think municipalities would run into liability concerns if they fail to control a potentially dangerous intersection, but Stadelman says there is actually more liability concern if signs are erected.
"We've had lawsuits where a stop sign got knocked over on a Friday night and didn't get replaced and an accident occurred a day or two later," he recalls, "Someone argued the town was negligent in failing to replace the sign."
"Once a decision is made to put up stop signs, they have a duty to keep-up the signs according to the uniform traffic manual."
Some might argue every intersection should be controlled, but Stadelman says many back roads don't have the traffic volume to justify signs.
"Intersections might be a mile apart from each other. There isn't necessarily a reason that, every time you come to an intersection, you need to come to a complete stop," he argues.
Besides, Stadelman notes traffic laws already state drivers must yield the right of way to vehicles to their right.
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