346.14 AnnotationSub. (1) not only imposes a duty upon a tailgating driver to the driver of the preceding vehicle, but to all other cars and persons who are causally affected by the negligence of tailgating. Northland Insurance Co. v. Avis Rent-A-Car, 62 Wis. 2d 643, 215 N.W.2d 439 (1974). 346.14 AnnotationThis section does not impose an absolute liability upon drivers to avoid accidents. Millonig v. Bakken, 112 Wis. 2d 445, 334 N.W.2d 80 (1983). 346.15346.15 Driving on divided highway. Whenever any highway has been divided into 2 roadways by an intervening unpaved or otherwise clearly indicated dividing space or by a physical barrier constructed to substantially impede crossing by vehicular traffic, the operator of a vehicle shall drive only to the right of the space or barrier and no operator of a vehicle shall drive over, across, or within the space or barrier except through an opening or at a crossover or intersection established by the authority in charge of the maintenance of the highway, except that the operator of a vehicle when making a left turn to or from a private driveway, alley, or highway or making a U-turn may drive across a paved dividing space or a physical barrier not constructed to impede crossing by vehicular traffic, unless the crossing is prohibited by signs erected by the authority in charge of the maintenance of the highway. 346.15 HistoryHistory: 2009 a. 97. 346.16346.16 Use of controlled-access highways, expressways and freeways. 346.16(1)(1) No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from a controlled-access highway, expressway or freeway except through an opening provided for that purpose. 346.16(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (b), no pedestrian or person riding a bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle and no person operating a moped or motor bicycle may go upon any expressway or freeway when official signs have been erected prohibiting such person from using the expressway or freeway. 346.16(2)(am)(am) Notwithstanding s. 349.105 and except as provided in par. (b), no person riding an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device may go upon any expressway or freeway when official signs have been erected prohibiting persons specified in par. (a) from using the expressway or freeway. 346.16(2)(ar)(ar) Notwithstanding s. 349.105, no person operating an off-road utility vehicle or a lightweight utility vehicle, as defined in s. 346.94 (21) (a) 2., may go upon any expressway or freeway when official signs have been erected prohibiting persons specified in par. (a) from using the expressway or freeway, except that a lightweight utility vehicle may cross such an expressway or freeway. 346.16(2)(b)(b) A pedestrian or other person under par. (a) or (am) may go upon a portion of a hiking trail, cross-country ski trail, bridle trail or bicycle trail incorporated into the highway right-of-way and crossing the highway if the portion of the trail is constructed under s. 84.06 (11). 346.16 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See s. 59.84 (2) (j) for additional restrictions on the use of expressways in Milwaukee County. 346.17346.17 Penalty for violating sections 346.04 to 346.16. 346.17(1)(1) Except as provided in subs. (5) and (6), any person violating s. 346.04 (1) or (2), 346.06, 346.12 or 346.13 (1) or (3) may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year. 346.17(2m)(2m) Any person violating s. 346.10 (1) shall forfeit not less than $60 nor more than $600. 346.17(2t)(2t) Any person violating s. 346.04 (2t) may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both. 346.17(3)(b)(b) If the violation results in bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (4), to another, or causes damage to the property of another, as defined in s. 939.22 (28), the person is guilty of a Class G felony. 346.17(3)(c)(c) If the violation results in great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (14), to another, the person is guilty of a Class E felony. The court shall impose a bifurcated sentence under s. 973.01, and the confinement portion of the bifurcated sentence imposed on the person shall be not less than one year and 6 months. 346.17(3)(d)(d) If the violation results in the death of another, the person is guilty of a Class D felony. The court shall impose a bifurcated sentence under s. 973.01, and the confinement portion of the bifurcated sentence imposed on the person shall be not less than 2 years and 6 months. 346.17(4)(4) Any person violating s. 346.075 may be required to forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $200 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $500 for the 2nd or subsequent violation within 4 years. 346.17(5)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (b), if an operator of a vehicle violates s. 346.04 (1) or (2) where persons engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, railroad maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic, any applicable minimum and maximum forfeiture specified in sub. (1) for the violation shall be doubled. 346.17(5)(b)(b) If an operator of a vehicle violates s. 346.04 (1) or (2) where persons engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, railroad maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic and the violation results in bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (4), to another, the operator may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months, or both. In addition to the penalties specified under this paragraph, a court may also order a person convicted under this paragraph to perform not fewer than 100 nor more than 200 hours of community service work and attend traffic safety school, as provided under s. 345.60. 346.17 AnnotationMultiplicity arises when the defendant is charged in more than one count for a single offense. The established methodology for reviewing a multiplicity claim is a two-step test. First, the court determines whether the charged offenses are identical in law and fact using the Blockburger, 284 U.S. 299 (1932), test. The Blockburger test inquires whether each provision requires proof of an additional fact that the other does not. As a general proposition, different elements of law distinguish one offense from another when different statutes are charged. Different facts distinguish one count from another when the counts are charged under the same statute. Sub. (3) (b) to (d) provides additional elements to the offense stated in s. 346.04 (3) when death, great bodily harm, or property damage is involved, as it was in this case. Thus, under the Blockburger test, the defendant’s charges were not the same in law and fact because the charges involved proof of additional elements or facts that the others did not. State v. Wise, 2021 WI App 87, 400 Wis. 2d 174, 968 N.W.2d 705, 20-1756. 346.17 AnnotationSub. (3) does not operate as a penalty enhancer. Rather, sub. (3) defines stand-alone crimes that address separate harms. Each paragraph in sub. (3) sets forth a different felony classification and a particular harm to be addressed, and the proof of that particular harm constitutes an additional element of the offense of fleeing or eluding. State v. Wise, 2021 WI App 87, 400 Wis. 2d 174, 968 N.W.2d 705, 20-1756. 346.175346.175 Vehicle owner’s liability for fleeing a traffic officer. 346.175(1)(a)(a) Subject to s. 346.01 (2), the owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 346.04 (2t) or (3) for fleeing a traffic officer shall be presumed liable for the violation as provided in this section. 346.175(1)(b)(b) Notwithstanding par. (a), no owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 346.04 (2t) or (3) for fleeing a traffic officer may be convicted under this section if the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation has been convicted for the violation under this section or under s. 346.04 (2t) or (3). 346.175(2)(2) A traffic officer may proceed under sub. (3) instead of pursuing the operator of a motor vehicle who flees after being given a visual or audible signal by the officer or marked police vehicle. 346.175(3)(a)(a) Within 72 hours after observing the violation, the traffic officer shall investigate the violation and may prepare a uniform traffic citation under s. 345.11 for the violation and, within 96 hours after observing the violation, any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation may personally serve it upon the owner of the vehicle. 346.175(3)(b)(b) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a), service may be made by leaving a copy of the citation at the owner’s usual place of abode within this state in the presence of a competent member of the family at least 14 years of age, who shall be informed of the contents thereof. Service under this paragraph may be made by any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation and shall be performed within 96 hours after the violation was observed. 346.175(3)(c)(c) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a) or (b) or if the owner lives outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service may be made by certified mail addressed to the owner’s last-known address. Service under this paragraph shall be performed by posting the certified mail within 96 hours after the violation was observed. 346.175(4)(4) Defenses to the imposition of liability under this section include: 346.175(4)(a)(a) That a report that the vehicle was stolen was given to a traffic officer before the violation occurred or within a reasonable time after the violation occurred. 346.175(4)(b)(b) If the owner of the vehicle provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name and address of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation and sufficient information for the officer to determine that probable cause does not exist to believe that the owner of the vehicle was operating the vehicle at the time of the violation, then the owner of the vehicle shall not be liable under this section or under s. 346.04 (2t) or (3). 346.175(4)(c)(c) If the vehicle is owned by a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee, and the lessor provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the information required under s. 343.46 (3), then the lessee and not the lessor shall be liable under this section or under s. 346.04 (2t) or (3). 346.175(4)(d)(d) If the vehicle is owned by a dealer, as defined in s. 340.01 (11) (intro.) but including the persons specified in s. 340.01 (11) (a) to (d), and at the time of the violation the vehicle was being operated by or was under the control of any person on a trial run, and if the dealer provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name, address and operator’s license number of the person operating the vehicle, then that person, and not the dealer, shall be liable under this section or under s. 346.04 (2t) or (3). 346.175(5)(a)(a) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under this section for a violation of s. 346.04 (2t) or (3) shall be required to forfeit not less than $300 nor more than $1,000. 346.175(5)(b)(b) Imposition of liability under this section shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person’s operating license under s. 343.30 or 343.31, nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person’s driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a). 346.177346.177 Railroad crossing improvement surcharge for vehicles illegally passing at railroad crossings. 346.177(1)(1) Whenever a court imposes a forfeiture under s. 346.17 (2m) for a violation of s. 346.10 (1), the court shall also impose a railroad crossing improvement surcharge under ch. 814 equal to 50 percent of the amount of the forfeiture. 346.177(2)(2) If a forfeiture is suspended in whole or in part, the railroad crossing improvement surcharge shall be reduced in proportion to the suspension. 346.177(3)(3) If any deposit is made for an offense to which this section applies, the person making the deposit shall also deposit a sufficient amount to include the railroad crossing improvement surcharge under this section. If the deposit is forfeited, the amount of the railroad crossing improvement surcharge shall be transmitted to the secretary of administration under sub. (4). If the deposit is returned, the amount of the railroad crossing improvement surcharge shall also be returned. 346.177(4)(4) The clerk of the circuit court shall collect and transmit to the county treasurer the railroad crossing improvement surcharge as required under s. 59.40 (2) (m). The county treasurer shall then pay the secretary of administration as provided in s. 59.25 (3) (f) 2. The secretary of administration shall deposit all amounts received under this subsection in the transportation fund to be appropriated under s. 20.395 (2) (gj). 346.177 HistoryHistory: 1997 a. 237; 2003 a. 33, 139, 326. RIGHT-OF-WAY
346.18346.18 General rules of right-of-way. 346.18(1)(1) General rule at intersections. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this section or in s. 346.19, 346.20, 346.215, or 346.46 (1), when 2 vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the operator of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. The operator of any vehicle driving at an unlawful speed forfeits any right-of-way which he or she would otherwise have under this subsection. 346.18(2)(2) Turning left or making a U-turn at intersection. The operator of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left or make a U-turn shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. 346.18(3)(3) Rule at intersection with through highway. The operator of a vehicle shall stop as required by s. 346.46 (2) (a), (b) or (c) before entering a through highway, and shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles which have entered or are approaching the intersection upon the through highway. 346.18(3m)(3m) Uncontrolled “t” intersection. At an intersection where traffic is not controlled by an official traffic control device or by a traffic officer, the operator of a vehicle approaching the intersection on a highway which terminates at the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching the intersection on a highway which continues through the intersection. 346.18(4)(4) Entering highway from alley or nonhighway access. The operator of a vehicle entering a highway from an alley or from a point of access other than another highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway which the operator is entering. 346.18(5)(5) Moving from parked position. The operator of any vehicle that has been parked or standing shall, while moving such vehicle from such position, yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway. 346.18(6)(6) Right-of-way where yield sign installed. The operator of a vehicle, when approaching any intersection at which has been installed a yield sign, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles which have entered the intersection from an intersecting highway or which are approaching so closely on the intersecting highway as to constitute a hazard of collision and, if necessary, shall reduce speed or stop in order to so yield. 346.18(7)(7) Entering alley or driveway from highway. 346.18(7)(a)(a) The operator of any vehicle intending to turn to the left into an alley or private driveway across the path of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle. 346.18(7)(b)(b) The operator of any vehicle crossing a sidewalk or entering an alley or driveway from a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian, vehicle or conveyance on the sidewalk or in the alley or driveway. 346.18(8)(a)(a) The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle or combination of vehicles with a total length of not less than 40 feet or a total width of not less than 10 feet when approaching or driving through a roundabout at approximately the same time or so closely as to constitute a hazard of collision and, if necessary, shall reduce speed or stop in order to so yield. 346.18(8)(b)(b) If 2 vehicles or combinations of vehicles each having a total length of not less than 40 feet or a total width of not less than 10 feet approach or drive through a roundabout at approximately the same time or so closely as to constitute a hazard of collision, the operator of the vehicle or combination of vehicles on the right shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle or combination of vehicles on the left and, if necessary, shall reduce speed or stop in order to so yield. 346.18 AnnotationA driver who makes a left turn that results in an accident is not always guilty of more negligence than the other driver; the comparison is for the jury. Pucci v. Rausch, 51 Wis. 2d 513, 187 N.W.2d 138 (1971). 346.19346.19 What to do on approach of emergency vehicle. 346.19(1)(1) Upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal by siren the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive such vehicle to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right curb or the right-hand edge of the shoulder of the roadway, clear of any intersection and, unless otherwise directed by a traffic officer, shall stop and remain standing in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed. 346.19(2)(2) This section does not relieve the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard under the circumstances for the safety of all persons using the highway. 346.19 HistoryHistory: 1993 a. 490. 346.19 AnnotationThis section, regarding the requirements on the approach of an emergency vehicle, is the proper statute to invoke when the proof requirements for fleeing under s. 346.04 are not met. 76 Atty. Gen. 214. 346.195346.195 Owner’s liability for vehicle failing to yield the right-of-way to an authorized emergency vehicle. 346.195(1)(1) Subject to s. 346.01 (2), the owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 346.19 (1) for failing to yield the right-of-way to an authorized emergency vehicle shall be liable for the violation as provided in this section. 346.195(2)(2) The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle who observes a violation of s. 346.19 (1) for failing to yield the right-of-way to an authorized emergency vehicle may prepare a written report indicating that a violation has occurred. If possible, the report shall contain the following information: 346.195(2)(a)(a) The time and the approximate location at which the violation occurred. 346.195(2)(b)(b) The license number and color of the vehicle involved in the violation. 346.195(2)(c)(c) Identification of the vehicle as an automobile, motor truck, motor bus, motorcycle or other type of vehicle. 346.195(3)(3) Within 24 hours after observing the violation, the operator of the authorized emergency vehicle may deliver the report to a traffic officer of the county or municipality in which the violation occurred. A report that does not contain all the information in sub. (2) shall, nevertheless, be delivered and shall be maintained by the county or municipality for statistical purposes.
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