Should the outer lane yield to the inner lane when turning left?
2 Answers
When turning left, the inner lane yields to the outer lane. The driving rules for single and multiple left-turn lanes are as follows: Single left-turn lane driving rules: When turning left, try to take a wide turn. During the turn, pay attention to whether there are oncoming straight-moving vehicles. If there are, you must slow down or stop to yield. In case of a collision, the turning vehicle is fully responsible. The reason for turning into the first lane is that this driving path causes the least interference to vehicles from other directions. In the latter half of the turn, also check the left rearview mirror to avoid vehicles coming up diagonally and attempting to overtake aggressively. Multiple left-turn lane driving rules: If you are in the second or third left-turn lane, during the turn, follow the vehicle in front and proceed in order without changing lanes or crossing lines midway. As you are about to enter the lane, check the left rearview mirror and the right-side window, paying attention to vehicles in the adjacent lanes to avoid collisions.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of experience, I can tell you that whether the outer lane yields to the inner lane during a left turn isn't the key issue. From my perspective, the core traffic rule is that turning vehicles must yield to straight-moving vehicles, especially at intersections. In multi-lane left turns, vehicles in both the outer and inner lanes should turn parallel within their respective lanes without needing to yield to each other; each lane's traffic should maintain its path, avoiding sudden lane changes or cutting in. If an outer-lane vehicle abruptly swerves inward, yielding may occur, but this stems from a lane change rather than an inherent right-of-way rule. The critical point is to observe oncoming straight-moving vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians before turning to ensure safe passage. One hard lesson I learned: during rush hour, I nearly caused an accident by failing to yield to straight traffic while turning left. Since then, I always remind myself to slow down during turns and anticipate potential hazards. Safe driving must always come first—eliminate all risky maneuvers.
