ALT-1 Understanding right of way Laws on the Highway
Understanding Right-of-way Laws on the Highway
What is right-of-way? When two or more vehicles approach each other on the road there will be a traffic accident if they try to occupy the same space at the same time. Rather than depending on drivers to randomly determine who should have precedence, laws have been passed to standardize which vehicle has the right to proceed first. This right to proceed first is the right-of-way. Although many people treat these rules as suggestions, they are not. They are laws.
Right-of-way laws are based on common sense (such as, all emergency vehicles have the right-of-way) and, where common sense cannot serve (such as, two vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time), certain procedures you must remember and obey when driving.
Right-of-way laws give us rules to follow and when all drivers understand and practice them traffic can move along safely and without interruption. Not all right-of-way laws can be thoroughly explained in this short article but speaking as a person who has driven over half a million miles, I'll try to focus on some of the most common mistakes I see (and have made).
First and foremost, anytime you see an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing it has the right-of-way. Even if it is not in your lane or is traveling in another direction, slow down and pull off the road as much as possible. Sometimes emergency vehicles will have to use oncoming lanes, the shoulder, the median, or even the ditch to get where they are going quickly. Give them as much space as possible. Lives may depend on this. If it is your relative whose life they are en route to save you'll be glad you did not impede their progress.
STOP SIGNS. Common sense tells us a stop sign means stop. Yield the right-of-way to those approaching without stop signs, after which you may proceed through the intersection when it is safe to do so. In the real world, a rolling stop of a couple miles an hour is acceptable (although some police officers may not agree with this), but you must give yourself enough time to look in all directions and stop if there is traffic.
FOUR WAY STOP SIGNS. I don't know how these work everywhere in the world but in Minnesota and most other states it's like this: Whoever stops first at the intersection has the right-of-way. If two or more vehicles stop at the intersection at the same time there is a procedure to follow. A vehicle to your right has the right-of-way. You then, have the right-of-way over a vehicle to your left. As for a vehicle across the intersection, you will not cross paths unless one of you is turning left. The vehicle not turning left has the right-of-way. In my experience, most people do not know these procedures and do not follow them.
YEILD SIGNS. A yield sign works exactly like a stop sign except you do not have to come to a full stop unless there is traffic.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I would hope that every driver understands the right-of-way at traffic lights. However, some intersections with lights can be confusing and you should consult a driving manual if you do not fully understand them.
CHANGING LANES. Whenever you change lanes the traffic in the lane you are moving into has the right-of-way. It is up to you to safely make the change. This is true even if your lane ends. I see many people merging onto a highway expecting the traffic already on the highway to get out of their way. This is a violation of the law and the person merging will be charged with any accident caused by this maneuver.
UNMARKED INTERSECTIONS. If an intersection has no signs, treat it like a four way yield sign. The same rules as a four way stop apply except you do not have to stop unless there is traffic. Use caution though as some people drive through these without paying any attention.
Some last words of advice. It is just as important that you proceed without hesitation when you have the right-of-way as it is to yield when others have it. This is necessary for traffic to move smoothly. And finally, avoid accidents at any cost. You may have the right-of-way, but if someone pulls in front of you, yield to them. It may not be fair but it beats the words "I had the right-of-way" as an epitaph on your grave stone.
