Intersections and Turns-ch 5

Right of way

• They tell you who goes first and who must wait in different conditions.

• Examples:

  • A driver who approaches an intersection must yield the right-of-way to traffic that is in the intersection.

  • If drivers approaching from opposite directions reach an intersection at about the same time, a driver that turns left must yield to traffic that moves straight or turns right.

  • At intersections not controlled by signs or signals, or where two or more drivers stop at STOP signs at the same time and they are at right angles, the driver on the left must yield the right-of-way to the driver on the right.

  • A vehicle that enters a roadway from a driveway, alley, private road, or another place that is not a roadway, must stop and yield the right-of-way to traffic on the roadway and to pedestrians.

  • Drivers must yield to pedestrians who legally use marked or unmarked crosswalks.

  • You cannot enter an intersection if traffic is backed up on the other side and you can not get completely through the intersection. Wait until traffic ahead clears, so you do not block the intersection.

  • Be alert to cross-streets or offset intersections so that you don't cause gridlock by blocking another street.

  • A driver who approaches a traffic circle or rotary must yield the right-of-way to drivers already in the circle.
     

Emergency Vehicles

• You must yield the right-of-way to fire, ambulance, police and other authorized emergency vehicles when they respond to emergencies

• will display lights or siren

• When you hear or see an emergency vehicle heading toward your vehicle from any direction, safely pull over immediately to the right edge of the road and stop.

• Wait until the emergency vehicle passes before you drive on.

  • If you are in an intersection, drive out of it before you pull over.

  • if it is headed toward you in the opposite lane of a two-way roadway, you mist pull over

• drivers of emergency vehicles can legally exceed the speed limit, pass red lights and STOP or YIELD signs, go the wrong way on one-way streets and turn in directions not normally allowed.

Move over law

• Drivers must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any vehicle that is parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder or any portion of a highway.

Blue, Green, and Amber lights

• Volunteer firefighters, volunteer ambulance or rescue squad members, snow plows and tow trucks, rural mail delivery vehicles and school buses

• are not authorized emergency vehicles

• Their drivers must obey all traffic laws. While you are not required to yield the right-of-way, you should yield as a courtesy if you can safely do so.

Turns

• Always signal before you turn or change lanes.

• The law requires you to signal a turn or lane change with your turn lights or hand signals at least 100 feet (30 m) ahead.

• when possible, signal your intention to turn before you begin to brake or make the turn.

Tips for turning

• Reduce your speed.

• Be alert for traffic on all sides, special caution to motorcycles.

• Keep your wheels straight until you actually begin to make your turn.

• Remember that your rear wheels will travel inside the path of the front wheels, nearer to the curb (right turn) or to traffic headed toward you (left turn).

• Watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and moped riders, especially on right turns. They are often difficult to see in traffic.

• Be especially alert to individuals in wheelchairs, people pushing strollers, or someone pulling a wheeled suitcase behind them. They may be closer to the ground and hidden behind a car.

Right turn

• As you prepare to turn, get as far to the right as possible.

• Do not make wide, sweeping turns.

• Unless signs direct you to do otherwise, turn into the right lane of the road you enter
  

LEFT TURN FROM ONE-WAY ROAD INTO ONE-WAY ROAD:

• Move into the left lane when you prepare to turn. 

• If the road you enter has two lanes, you must turn into its left lane. 

LEFT TURN FROM ONE-WAY ROAD INTO TWO-WAY ROAD:

• Approach the turn in the left lane. 

• As you proceed through the intersection, enter the two-way road to the right of its center line, but as close as possible to the center line.

• Be alert for traffic that approaches from the road to the left.

• Motorcycles are hard to see, and it is hard to judge their speed and distance away. 
  

LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO TWO-WAY ROAD:

• Approach the turn from the right half of the roadway closest to the center.  

• try to use the left side of the intersection to help make sure that you do not interfere with traffic headed toward you that wants to turn left.

• Keep to the right of the center line of the road you enter, but as close as possible to the center line.

• Be alert for traffic, heading toward you from the left and from the lane you are about to go across.

• Motorcycles headed toward you are hard to see and it is difficult to judge their speed and distance away.

LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO ONE-WAY ROAD:

• Approach the turn from the right half of the roadway closest to the center.

• Make the turn before you reach the center of the intersection and turn into the left lane of the road you enter. 

LEFT TURN FROM TWO-WAY ROAD INTO FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY:

• Approach the turn from the right half of the roadway closest to the center.

• Enter the left lane, to the right of the center line.

• When traffic permits, you can move out of the left lane. 

U-turns

• Is any turn you make so you can proceed in the opposite direction.

• Do not try a U-turn on a highway unless absolutely necessary

• You can make a U-turn only from the left portion of the lane nearest to the centerline of the roadway, never from the right lane

• you can make a U-turn when you get permission to proceed by a green arrow left-turn traffic signal, provided it is allowed and you yield to other traffic.

• You cannot make u-turn near top of hill, curve or any other location where other drivers can not see your vehicle from 500 feet (150 m) away in either direction.

• You can never make a U-turn on a limited access expressway, or school zone

3-point-turns

• Unless prohibited, may be used to turn around on a narrow, two-way street.

• You may be required to make a three-point turn on your road test.

• How to do a 3-point turn:

  • Signal with your right turn signal, then pull over to the right and stop. Signal with your left turn signal, then check carefully for traffic from all directions.

  • Turn left, go across the road so you come to a stop while you face the left curb or edge of the road.

  • Look again for traffic. Turn your steering wheel as far to the right as possible, then look behind you as you back up. Stop before you reach the right curb or any obstacle to the right curb or edge of the road.

  • Stop, check again for other traffic, then turn your steering wheel all the way to the left and pull forward to complete your turn when it is safe.