In order to provide safety at intersections on the state highway system, the Washington State Highway Commission may require persons traveling upon any portion of such highway to stop before entering the intersection. For this purpose there may be erected a standard stop sign as prescribed in the state of Washington Department of Highways’ Manual for Signing. All persons traveling upon the highway shall come to a complete stop at such a sign and the appearance of any sign so located shall be sufficient warning to a person that he is required to stop. A person stopping at such a sign shall proceed through such portion of the highway in a careful manner and at a reasonable rate of speed not to exceed 20 miles per hour. It shall be unlawful to fail to comply with the directions of any such a stop sign; provided, that when the findings of a traffic engineering study show that the condition of an intersection is such that vehicles may safely enter the major artery without stopping, the Washington State Highway Commission or local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall install and maintain a “yield” sign.

The driver of a vehicle approaching a “yield” sign shall reduce speed or stop if necessary in order to yield the right-of-way to all traffic on the intersecting street which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. A motorist proceeding past such a sign with a resultant collision or other interferences with traffic on the intersecting street shall be prima facie evidence that the motorist had not obeyed the sign and yielded the right-of-way as provided by this statute. [Ord. 1999-04-020].