Sec. 14-297. Definitions.
Sec. 14-297. Definitions. Terms used in this chapter shall be construed as follows,
unless another construction is clearly apparent from the language or context in which
the term is used or unless the construction is inconsistent with the manifest intention of
the General Assembly:
(1) The following terms shall be construed as they are defined in section 14-1:
"Authorized emergency vehicle", "driver", "head lamp", "highway", "intersection",
"limited access highway", "motor vehicle", "number plate", "operator", "person", "rotary" or "roundabout", "shoulder", "stop", "truck", "vehicle";
(2) "Crosswalk" means that portion of a highway ordinarily included within the
prolongation or connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections, or any portion of a highway distinctly indicated, by lines or other markings on the surface, as a
crossing for pedestrians, except such prolonged or connecting lines from an alley across
a street;
(3) "Official traffic control devices" means all signs, signals, markings and devices
consistent with the provisions of this chapter and placed or erected, for the purpose of
regulating, warning or guiding traffic, by authority of a public body or official having
jurisdiction;
(4) "Parking" means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, on a highway, except it shall not include the temporary standing of a vehicle for the purpose
of and while engaged in receiving or discharging passengers or loading or unloading
merchandise or while in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signs or signals;
(5) "Traffic" means pedestrians, vehicles and other conveyances while using any
highway for the purpose of travel;
(6) "Traffic authority" means the board of police commissioners of any city, town
or borough, or the city or town manager, the chief of police, the superintendent of police
or any legally elected or appointed official or board, or any official having similar powers
and duties, of any city, town or borough that has no board of police commissioners but
has a regularly appointed force, or the board of selectmen of any town in which there
is no city or borough with a regularly appointed police force, except that, with respect
to state highways and bridges, "traffic authority" means the State Traffic Commission,
provided nothing contained in this section shall be construed to limit or detract from
the jurisdiction or authority of the State Traffic Commission to adopt regulations establishing a uniform system of traffic control signals, devices, signs and markings as provided in section 14-298, and the requirement that no installation of any traffic control
signal light shall be made by any city, town or borough until the installation has been
approved by the State Traffic Commission as provided in section 14-299;
(7) "Traffic control sign" means any sign bearing a message with respect to the
stopping or to the rate of speed of vehicles; and
(8) "Traffic control signal" means any device, whether operated manually, electrically or mechanically, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed.
(1949 Rev., S. 2516; P.A. 84-429, S. 42; P.A. 90-263, S. 53, 74; P.A. 05-210, S. 27.)
History: P.A. 84-429 substantially revised section, dividing section into Subsecs., applying definitions in Sec. 14-1 to
terms added in Subdiv. (1), rephrasing provisions and making other technical changes; P.A. 90-263 amended Subdiv. (1)
to delete "public service motor vehicle"; P.A. 05-210 amended Subdiv. (1) by substituting "rotary" or "roundabout" for
"rotary traffic island", effective July 1, 2005.
Cited. 122 C. 518. Longitudinal line at intersection is an official control device. Id., 520. Cited. 123 C. 665. Cited. 130
C. 243. Cited. 138 C. 81. Cited. 163 C. 365.