Should a right-turning vehicle yield to a left-turning vehicle or vice versa?
3 Answers
Right-turning vehicles should yield to left-turning vehicles. Below are the relevant details: Traffic regulations: According to the "Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China," when motor vehicles pass through an intersection without traffic signals or traffic police direction, a right-turning vehicle from the opposite direction must yield to a left-turning vehicle. If a traffic accident occurs due to a right-turning vehicle failing to yield to a left-turning vehicle, the right-turning vehicle will bear full responsibility. Right-of-way: Right-turning vehicles do not need to wait for a traffic signal and can turn at any time. To ensure relatively fair right-of-way, most countries generally stipulate that right-turning vehicles have the lowest right-of-way. They must not only yield to left-turning vehicles from the opposite direction but also to vehicles and pedestrians going straight from intersecting directions.
In my many years of driving, I've always kept an old saying in mind regarding who yields to whom at intersections: 'Left turns yield to all oncoming traffic.' Whether it's vehicles going straight or turning right, as long as I'm turning left, I must patiently wait for them to pass first. Why is this? Because a left turn requires crossing the entire roadway, creating direct conflict with oncoming traffic, which carries significant risk. Once at an unsignalized intersection, I witnessed someone hastily making a left turn and nearly colliding with a right-turning vehicle—fortunately, they avoided it. Since then, I've made it a habit to slow down, check left and right, and only proceed when it's safe. Rules aren't meant to cause trouble but to protect everyone—yielding prevents accidents and makes the journey home smoother. In daily driving, this principle has saved me from many stressful moments. Remember, safety is a hundred times more important than speed.
When I first got my driver's license, I was completely confused about the right-of-way rules, especially regarding who should yield between right and left turns. My instructor repeatedly emphasized: whenever you're turning left, you must yield to all oncoming vehicles, including those turning right. The reason is simple – left turns have a longer path and are more prone to danger. Once during practice, I failed to yield to a right-turning vehicle while making a left turn at an intersection, and the furious honking scared me into a cold sweat. Later, upon checking the regulations, I learned this rule was established based on accident statistics – data shows yielding during left turns reduces risks. Now I drive more steadily, always waiting an extra second before left turns to ensure road safety. For novice drivers, such experiences are valuable lessons that gradually become second nature. The key is to cultivate patient habits and avoid overconfidence.
