Unit 03, Lesson 13 - Right-of-Way
The other driver may be required to yield the right-of-way to you, but do not let your life depend on it. It is more important to avoid crashes than to insist on your right-of-way. The following are some rules to follow which will help you avoid a crash and could possibly save your life or the lives of others.
Intersections
If you arrive at an intersection at approximately the same time as vehicles from different directions, the driver on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. For example, the intersection in the illustration below is controlled by four stop signs. Car A yields to car B because car B is on the right.
If you are in an intersection and want to turn left, you must yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. After yielding, you may turn left if it is safe to do so. In the situation shown below, car B must yield to car A.
COURTESY IS THE KEY TO SAFETY
You must yield to vehicles from a different roadway if your corner is controlled by stop signs, yield signs, or red lights. In the illustration at top of next page, car A must yield to car B since the corner for car A is controlled by a stop sign.
Emergency Vehicles
When police cars, fire engines, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles approach using sirens, emergency lights, or other warning devices, you MUST YIELD the right-of-way. DRIVE AT ONCE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP until the emergency vehicle has passed. Unless you are on official business, do not follow within 500 feet of any fire vehicle responding to an alarm. You may not drive or park on the same block where the fire vehicle has stopped to answer an alarm.
NOTE: When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights, you must reduce your speed, provide as much space as practical to the emergency vehicle, and if it is practical and safe to do so, make a lane change into a lane away from the emergency vehicle.
When police cars, fire engines, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles approach using sirens, emergency lights, or other warning devices, you MUST YIELD the right-of-way. DRIVE AT ONCE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP until the emergency vehicle has passed. Unless you are on official business, do not follow within 500 feet of any fire vehicle responding to an alarm. You may not drive or park on the same block where the fire vehicle has stopped to answer an alarm.
NOTE: When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights, you must reduce your speed, provide as much space as practical to the emergency vehicle, and if it is practical and safe to do so, make a lane change into a lane away from the emergency vehicle.
Pedestrians
If a pedestrian is crossing the street in a “marked” or “unmarked” crosswalk, you must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which your vehicle is traveling. Drivers must also yield when a pedestrian approaching from the opposite side of the roadway is close to the center of the roadway. In addition, any vehicle crossing a sidewalk must yield to all traffic on the sidewalk. In the illustration at the top of the next column, the area from where sidewalk “A” ends and sidewalk “B” begins is a legal crosswalk, even though there are no painted lines. For this reason, it is called an “unmarked crosswalk.”
If a pedestrian is crossing the street in a “marked” or “unmarked” crosswalk, you must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which your vehicle is traveling. Drivers must also yield when a pedestrian approaching from the opposite side of the roadway is close to the center of the roadway. In addition, any vehicle crossing a sidewalk must yield to all traffic on the sidewalk. In the illustration at the top of the next column, the area from where sidewalk “A” ends and sidewalk “B” begins is a legal crosswalk, even though there are no painted lines. For this reason, it is called an “unmarked crosswalk.”
(Select the link "Skill Building 10 - Rules for Right-of-Way" to watch a video demonstration.)
03.13 Right-of-Way Video
Skill Building - Rules for Right-of-Way
