Priority Order for Straight, Left, and Right Turns?
2 Answers
The priority order for straight, left, and right turns is as follows: yield to vehicles coming from the right, turning vehicles yield to straight-moving vehicles, and right-turning vehicles yield to left-turning vehicles. These three rules are prioritized from 1 to 3. If the first rule applies to the actual situation, the other two rules need not be considered. If the first rule does not apply, then consider the second rule, and so on. Yield to vehicles coming from the right: When your vehicle is turning and a vehicle from the right lane is also turning, yield to the vehicle from the right lane. Turning vehicles yield to straight-moving vehicles: Turning motor vehicles must yield to straight-moving motor vehicles. Right-turning vehicles yield to left-turning vehicles: For vehicles traveling in opposite directions, right-turning vehicles must yield to left-turning vehicles. According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, at intersections without traffic signs or markings, vehicles must stop and observe before entering the intersection, yielding to vehicles coming from the right. Turning motor vehicles must yield to straight-moving vehicles. Right-turning motor vehicles traveling in opposite directions must yield to left-turning vehicles. For vehicles traveling in opposite directions, left-turning vehicles must yield to straight-moving vehicles, and right-turning vehicles must yield to left-turning vehicles. This means that among the three driving states—straight, left turn, and right turn—right-turning vehicles have the lowest right-of-way.
As a driving instructor, I often tell my students that there are clear rules for the order of proceeding straight, turning left, or turning right. The most crucial thing is to observe the traffic lights! When the light is green, vehicles going straight have the highest right of way, and left-turning vehicles must wait for oncoming straight-moving vehicles to pass before turning. Right-turning vehicles can usually turn at any time, but when encountering a circular red light, they must first stop and observe, ensuring they do not affect pedestrians or vehicles from other directions before turning. At intersections without traffic lights, turning vehicles must yield to vehicles going straight, while also adhering to the principle of yielding to vehicles coming from the right. Another point many people overlook is that right-turning vehicles must yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, even if the traffic light permits a right turn; the rule of 'vehicles yielding to pedestrians' must be followed, otherwise, they can easily be caught by surveillance and penalized.
