Minnesota Session Laws - 1990, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1990 

                        CHAPTER 503-H.F.No. 1927 
           An act relating to traffic regulations; allowing 
          immediate towing of vehicles unlawfully parked in 
          taxicab zones; regulating approaches of vehicles to 
          certain intersections; amending Minnesota Statutes 
          1988, section 169.20, subdivision 1; Minnesota 
          Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 169.041, subdivision 
          4. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
169.041, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 4.  [TOWING ALLOWED.] A towing authority may tow a 
motor vehicle without regard to the four-hour waiting period if: 
    (1) the vehicle is parked in violation of snow emergency 
regulations; 
    (2) the vehicle is parked in a rush-hour restricted parking 
area; 
    (3) the vehicle is blocking a driveway, alley, or fire 
hydrant; 
    (4) the vehicle is parked in a bus lane where parking is 
prohibited; 
    (5) the vehicle is parked within 30 feet of a stop sign and 
visually blocking the stop sign; 
    (6) the vehicle is parked in a handicap transfer zone or 
handicapped parking space without a handicapped parking 
certificate or handicapped license plates; 
    (7) the vehicle is parked in an area that has been posted 
for temporary restricted parking at least 24 hours in advance; 
    (8) the vehicle is parked within the right-of-way of a 
controlled access highway or within the traveled portion of a 
public street when travel is allowed there; 
     (9) the vehicle is unlawfully parked in a zone that is 
restricted by posted signs to use by fire, police, public 
safety, or emergency vehicles; 
    (10) the vehicle is unlawfully parked on property at the 
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport owned by the 
metropolitan airports commission; 
    (11) a law enforcement official has probable cause to 
believe that the vehicle is stolen, or that the vehicle 
constitutes or contains evidence of a crime and impoundment is 
reasonably necessary to obtain or preserve the evidence; 
    (12) the driver, operator, or person in physical control of 
the vehicle is taken into custody and the vehicle is impounded 
for safekeeping; or 
    (13) a law enforcement official has probable cause to 
believe that the owner, operator, or person in physical control 
of the vehicle has failed to respond to five or more citations 
for parking or traffic offenses; or 
    (14) the vehicle is unlawfully parked in a zone that is 
restricted by posted signs to use by taxicabs. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 169.20, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [APPROACHING UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION.] 
When two vehicles enter an uncontrolled intersection from 
different highways at approximately the same time the driver of 
the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the 
vehicle on the right. 
    When two vehicles enter an intersection controlled by stop 
signs or by blinking red traffic signals requiring drivers or 
vehicles from any direction to stop before proceeding, the 
driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way 
to the vehicle on the right. 
    At an uncontrolled approach to a T-shaped intersection, the 
driver required to turn shall yield to the cross traffic. 
    The driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed 
shall forfeit any right-of-way which the driver might otherwise 
have hereunder. 
    The foregoing rules are modified as hereinafter stated in 
this section. 
    Presented to the governor April 24, 1990 
    Signed by the governor April 24, 1990, 9:05 p.m.