For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
Alley.
Shall mean any street having no legal or official name other
than "alley" and of twenty feet (20') or less in width.
Chief of Police.
Shall mean the chief of police of the City of DeSoto, Texas
or designee.
Driver.
Shall mean any person who operates a vehicle, is in actual
physical control of a vehicle or assumes control of a vehicle.
Freight Loading Zone.
Shall mean a space adjacent to the curb for the use of vehicles
during the loading or unloading of freight.
Industrial Parking Zone.
Shall mean a street, part of a street, or other area upon
which parking is either restricted or prohibited for industrial permit
parking only for the purpose of facilitating the needs of inhabitants
in businesses of a district.
Pushcart.
Shall mean any device propelled by human power in which goods,
commodities, or other items may be used, stored, or displayed and
having at least two wheels.
Traffic Engineer.
Shall mean the company or person designated by the city manager
as the traffic engineer, or designee.
Traffic-Control Device.
Shall mean all signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent
with this chapter, placed or erected by authority of a public body
or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning
or guiding traffic.
(Ordinance 1422-01 adopted 6/5/01)
(a) It
shall be the duty of the chief of police and all other police officers
of the city to enforce the traffic laws and regulations of the city
and all state laws applicable to traffic in the city, to make arrests
for traffic violations, investigate accidents and to carry out those
duties imposed upon the chief of police by the provisions of this
chapter.
(b) Officers
of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the chief
of police are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand,
or signal in conformance with traffic laws. In the event of a fire
or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians,
officers of the police or fire department may direct traffic as conditions
may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.
(Ordinance 1422-01 adopted 6/5/01)
(a) It
shall be the duty of the chief of police to investigate traffic accidents
and to arrest and to assist in prosecutions of those persons guilty
of violations of law causing or contributing to such accidents.
(b) Whenever
accidents at any particular location become numerous, the traffic
engineer in conjunction with the chief of police may conduct studies
of such accidents to determine remedial measures are necessary.
(c) The
police department shall receive and file all accident reports made
to it under state law or under this chapter. The police department
shall maintain a system of filing traffic accident reports. Such records
shall be kept in accordance with the records retention policy of the
city.
(Ordinance 1422-01 adopted 6/5/01)
Every person propelling any pushcart shall be subject to the
provisions of this chapter applicable to the driver of any vehicle,
except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.
(Ordinance 1422-01 adopted 6/5/01)
(a) Prohibited
on Roadways; Subject to Pedestrian Rules.
No person upon
roller skates, skateboard, or riding in or by means of any coaster,
toy vehicle, or similar device shall go upon any roadway, except while
crossing a street at a crosswalk, and when so crossing such person
shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of
the duties applicable to pedestrians.
(b) Yielding
to Pedestrians.
Any person riding upon any bicycle, coaster,
sled, roller skates, skate board, or any toy vehicle when proceeding
along any sidewalk or while crossing a street on a crosswalk shall
yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian upon such street or sidewalk.
(Ordinance 1422-01 adopted 6/5/01)