Should Right-Turning Vehicles Yield to Straight-Going Vehicles?
3 Answers
Right-turning vehicles must yield to straight-going vehicles. Straight-going vehicles have the right of way, and right-turning vehicles must slow down and yield, proceeding only after the straight-going vehicles have passed. Below are the relevant details: Right turns are usually not controlled by traffic lights, while the traffic flow of straight-going vehicles from the opposite direction is typically greater than that of right-turning vehicles. Therefore, to ensure traffic efficiency, right-turning vehicles must yield to straight-going vehicles. If you see a "Yield" sign while driving, even if you are entering the intersection in a straight-going manner, you must yield to vehicles merging from other intersections or turning. The principle of 'first in, first out' applies: when driving through a cross intersection, the vehicle that enters the intersection first generally has the right of way. If a driver has already passed the stop line and entered the intersection when the traffic light turns red, and the other direction turns green, vehicles entering the intersection later must yield to the driver who has already entered.
Having driven a taxi for fifteen years, I have a deep understanding of yielding to through traffic when making a right turn. Last week at Jianguo Road intersection, I almost collided with an electric scooter that was speeding straight through because I didn't notice it in time. The traffic rules clearly state that turning vehicles must yield to through traffic. Especially when making a right turn, you need to watch three directions simultaneously: straight-moving vehicles from your left, motorcycles overtaking from behind, and pedestrians crossing laterally. Novices most often fail by assuming 'I thought they would yield.' Remember, even if the through traffic is fifty meters away, if they're moving fast, you must stop behind the stop line. Getting a ticket is minor; causing an accident means full responsibility.
Question 38 in the Subject 1 exam question bank clearly states 'yielding to through traffic when turning.' This is not a matter of ethics but a legal requirement. According to the Implementing Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law, vehicles making a right turn must slow down or stop to yield to through traffic. Some cities have additional regulations, such as Beijing requiring right-turning vehicles to stop and observe for three seconds before the crosswalk. I make it a habit to turn on the indicator 20 meters before the intersection and only proceed after checking the rearview mirror to confirm there are no high-speed through vehicles approaching. Don’t believe the so-called 'experienced drivers always rush to turn'—last year, there were over 70,000 accidents nationwide caused by failure to yield to through traffic when turning.
