Unsafe U-Turn CVC?

[MCSD Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close MCSD]

So here's the deal. There's a rear gate at MCLB Barstow that is opened for 1 hour everyday to allow employees an extra gate to exit. There's a left turn heading west and right turn heading east on Yermo Road. Driver's who are impatient that need to turn left go in the right lane to bypass the long lane of vehicles. They make a right turn heading east onto Yermo Road then drive a few hundred feet and make an unsafe u-turn heading west on Yermo Road. The speed limit is 55MPH on that road. I've seen a few close collisions. What is the California Vehicle Code (CVC) violation number. My guess was 22105 (Unsafe U-Turn with vision obstructed within 200' feet) or 22107 (Unsafe turn and failure to signal). The problem with 22105 is the 200' feet of vision obstructed. There's nothing to obstruct the view of the driver making the u-turn, I think. Some vehicles make the u-turn on a double yellow line while others u-turn on split lanes. I asked supervisors and a good friend who's prior City P.D. With negative results. Help me out

[mtxpro752 Find all posts View Profile Close mtxpro752]

21801(a) Left turns or U-turns yield until reasonably safe.
or 22107, just have to articulate why it was unsafe

[mdrdep An Obvious problem Find all posts View Profile Close mdrdep]

If this is the area I'm thinking of the area is pretty much open desert isn't it? If so the U-Turn itself isn't illegal. If they fail to yield the right of way to approaching vehicles it would be 21801(a) CVC.

[MCSD Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close MCSD]

If this is the area I'm thinking of the area is pretty much open desert isn't it? If so the U-Turn itself isn't illegal. If they fail to yield the right of way to approaching vehicles it would be 21801(a) CVC.

Yes open desert area. That's what my friend said it's not illegal to u-turn unless they are creating a hazard to approaching vehicles. Thanks for the reply.

[SgtCHP Retired Sergeant - CHP Find all posts View Profile Close SgtCHP]

The key to the section is "...constitute a hazard at anytme during the turning movement..." If the approaching vehicles have to reduce speed, come to a near stop, swerve to avoid, etc., you certainly have the elements of a violation. My recommendation, however, would be to contact the appropriate maintenance agency (CalTrans) or SBCo Roads to have them either remark the center median and make it a double-double yellow or post signs "NO U TURN" along that stretch of roadway.

Left-Turn or U-Turn

21801. (a) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.

(b) A driver having yielded as prescribed in subdivision (a), and having given a signal when and as required by this code, may turn left or complete a U-turn, and the drivers of vehicles approaching the intersection or the entrance to the property or alley from the opposite direction shall yield the right-of-way to the turning vehicle.

Amended Ch. 272, Stats. 1993. Effective August 2, 1993.

[andy5746 Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close andy5746]

Here's an idea...

We had something similar in my area, here is what we did:

Contacted City Traffic Engineer. They pulled collision history, traffic survey, etc... They found that there was a safety issue and the section of roadway was posted "No U-Turn" for about 1/4 mile. Anyone that made a U-Turn was now citable for 21461(a) CVC.

Sent a couple motors out (I was one of them - lead by example & all that). Gave warnings for the first week just to show we were really concerned about safety vs. revenue. Then it's open season. About a month and 100 or so cites later, no more violators and no collisions related to U-Turns in the past few years....