Should Straight-Going Vehicles Yield to Left or Right Turns?
2 Answers
Straight-going vehicles should yield to right-turning vehicles. Straight-going vehicles on the main road have the right of way when right-turning vehicles are merging from a side road. At intersections without traffic signals, motor vehicles should follow these right-of-way rules: 1. Yield to vehicles coming from the right; 2. Turning vehicles must yield to straight-going vehicles; 3. For vehicles traveling in opposite directions, right-turning vehicles must yield to left-turning vehicles. Left-turning vehicles spend more time in the intersection than right-turning vehicles, affecting other vehicles and pedestrians for a longer duration, so right-turning vehicles should yield to them. If left-turning vehicles were to yield, it would exacerbate these disadvantages and hinder the efficient clearing of intersection traffic, potentially causing congestion.
I've been driving for over twenty years, from a novice to a seasoned driver, and this rule is etched in my bones: through traffic always has the right of way, and left-turning or right-turning vehicles must yield. I remember once at a suburban intersection, I was going straight at a normal speed when a guy from the left insisted on making a left turn and cutting me off. If I hadn't braked quickly, we would have collided. Yielding to through traffic isn't just a casual suggestion—it's an ironclad rule of traffic safety law. Whether turning left or right, turning vehicles must ensure that through traffic is undisturbed before proceeding. Don't underestimate this—half of the daily traffic jams in the city are caused by people who don't understand yielding rules. New drivers often get confused about the priority of right turns, but unless there's a traffic signal, right-turning vehicles must still yield to through traffic. Safe driving starts with small details. I've personally seen accident scenes where the turning vehicle didn't yield, and the fault was entirely theirs. In daily driving, make it a habit: slow down at intersections and take a few extra glances. People often ask me why I don't yield to turning vehicles, and I always say, 'Rules are meant to be followed!'
