Paulson v. Hardware Mutual Casualty Co.

The judgment must be reversed for error as a matter of law in the answer of the special verdict that Piper was not negligent in his manner of making a left turn across Paulson’s traffic lane. Respondent submits that Piper made the turn in the customary way. A custom which violates an express command of a statute will not serve as a justification of the violator’s conduct. That is the case here.

The statute referred to is:

“85.17 Rules for turning. . .(2) Turning left. The operator of a vehicle intending to turn to the left at an intersection or into a private highway shall make such turn from…