Davenport traffic laws to take notice of

There are far too many traffic rules to cover over the span of a short article, but I was asked if I could provide some basic information on common traffic violations observed within the city limits of Davenport. Besides common offenses such as speed and failure to wear a seatbelt, there are four rules of the road we commonly see violated in the downtown Davenport area.

The first common violation we see is the crossing of the solid yellow barrier located in the downtown corridor on Morgan Street between Harker Street and Ninth Street. A solid yellow line of at least 18 inches is considered to be a freeway barrier and cannot be crossed (I last measured it at 19.5" for anyone wondering). I have only ever seen this barrier in one other city, so it is somewhat unique to Davenport, but comes with a hefty fine of $432 so please pay attention when you see this type of barrier.

The second law I'd like to bring to your attention is that U-turns are prohibited in this same stretch of roadway. There are signs posted at every affected intersection along Morgan Street prohibiting U-turns. The amount of this fine is $145.

Passing on the right is another violation we see quite often in Davenport. I'm sure some of you are thinking back to your driver's ed days and thinking, "I thought I could pass on the right if someone is turning left?" You'd be correct that this is normally allowed, however; Davenport specifically prohibits passing on the right. There are signs posted on each end of town related to this law, but the fact is passing on the right in downtown Davenport creates a safety concern which is why it is prohibited and carries the possibility of a $145 fine.

Lastly, I'd like to bring your attention to failing to stop at crosswalks. Please remember a crosswalk exists at every intersection whether marked or unmarked (also a $145 fine). The downtown corridor has angled parking which can make it difficult to see pedestrians entering crosswalks so please keep a watchful eye to ensure everyone remains safe.

The primary goal of traffic law enforcement is not to write tickets, but to change behavior in hopes of keeping people safe and preventing collisions. Sometimes that means issuing a verbal warning or traffic infraction, but we'd much rather prevent you from committing a violation through education.

Please drive safe,

Sheriff Gabe Gants