Chapter 6: Navigating the Roads

Successfully navigating public roads requires more than just staying in your lane; it involves a constant, cooperative exchange with other drivers. Understanding the rules of right-of-way, passing, and turning is the key to preventing conflicts and collisions at intersections, on highways, and in traffic circles. Mastering these procedures is crucial for the driver’s exam and for developing the safe, predictable driving habits that protect everyone on the road.

Right-of-Way

Right-of-way is the legal privilege to proceed before another vehicle or pedestrian. These rules are not about taking priority, but about knowing when to yield to prevent accidents. The first rule is to always use common sense; your right-of-way is never worth an accident.

• Uncontrolled Intersections: At an intersection with no signs or signals, the vehicle that arrives first has the right-of-way. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.
• All-Way Stops: At a four-way or all-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive and come to a complete stop proceeds first. If two or more vehicles arrive simultaneously, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.
• Driveways and Private Roads: A driver entering a public street or highway from a driveway, alley, or private road must stop and yield the right-of-way to all approaching traffic and pedestrians.
• Merging: When merging onto a highway or interstate, the driver entering the roadway must yield to traffic already traveling in the lane.
• Pedestrians: Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in any crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked. Be especially cautious of pedestrians who are blind, who may be carrying a white cane.
• Emergency Vehicles: When an ambulance, fire engine, or police car approaches using its siren or flashing lights, a driver must immediately pull over to the extreme right side of the road, clear of any intersection, and stop. Remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed.