Yielding the right of way - Yield to the right - First in is first through

Lately I've been covering uncontrolled intersections. This will be the last day of this coverage for awhile; although it won't I'm sure be the last uncontrolled intersection accident.

People ask, well, what's an uncontrolled intersection? An uncontrolled intersection has no stop sign or traffic light. While I've not driven in every county in Iowa I can say without a doubt that all 99 Iowa counties have uncontrolled intersections. The one today is from Adam's County.

Adams County, Iowa - A man from Corning, Iowa was killed in a car-truck collision northeast of Corning at 150^th and Quincie. (That's an odd way to spell Quincy.) The International truck was being driven by Justin Cooper, age 25 and the other by Lauren Anderson, 20, from Corning. The 20-year-old died.  Iowa State Patrol reports that Cooper (truck driver) was on Quincie Avenue and as he approached the intersection of 150^th the vehicle driven by Anderson approached from the east heading west. In other words it appears from this report that both are approaching an intersection, one is supposed to stop but fails to do so.

Anderson is reported to have failed to yield the right of way. Anderson was driving a 2005 Dodge. So let's get this straight in our minds. It appears from the report that Cooper is to the left of Anderson. Anderson is heading westbound and Cooper is heading south. Remember my post from last week about who must yield at an uncontrolled intersection? I posted it in the Life on Campus category of the Verdict on the Lombardi Law Firm website.

Uncontrolled Intersections in Rural Iowa can be a Serious Challenge, Lombardi June 9, 2010

The question and answer were about which car will have the right-of-way.

Question: Who has the right of way at an uncontrolled intersection?

Answer: The car on the right has the right-of-way. Or if they don't arrive simultaneously then it's the car that controls the intersection has the right of way. He who controls the intersection is the one already into the intersection. If they arrive at the same time then the one to the right has the right-of-way. Control means the car is already into the intersection. First in - first out. Of course all of these rules make an important assumption; the law assumes that both vehicles are obeying the speed limit. If you're driving too fast you may arrive at the intersection before logic and thus law would have you being there.

Question: In Iowa which driver must yield at an uncontrolled intersection?

Answer: If you're coming from the left you shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.

The Iowa State Patrol report says the investigation is ongoing and that usually indicates blood alcohol testing is underway. If anything further comes to our attention we'll update this post.