Question

Difficulty: Very hardRight-of-Way Rules at Intersections

You are positioned at a signalized intersection with a single turn lane, intending to turn left. The overhead traffic signal displays a circular solid green light. Oncoming traffic also faces a circular solid green light, and an oncoming vehicle is signaling a right turn into the same multi-lane roadway you plan to enter. Simultaneously, a pedestrian has stepped into the marked crosswalk of the street you are turning onto. Under standard right-of-way rules, which procedure must you follow?

  1. Yield the right-of-way to both the oncoming vehicle making the right turn and the pedestrian crossing the street before initiating your turn.Answer
  2. B
    Turn immediately into the far-left lane while the oncoming vehicle turns into the far-right lane, yielding only to the pedestrian once across the intersection.
  3. C
    Proceed with the left turn ahead of the oncoming right-turning vehicle because left-turning traffic has precedence on a solid green light when turning onto a multi-lane street.
  4. D
    Stop in the intersection, sound your horn to alert the pedestrian, and execute your turn after the oncoming vehicle completes its right turn.

Answer

Yield the right-of-way to both the oncoming vehicle making the right turn and the pedestrian crossing the street before initiating your turn.
When turning left on a solid green circular signal, the turn is unprotected. Drivers must yield to all oncoming traffic—including opposing vehicles turning right onto the same road—and to any pedestrians crossing the street into which the vehicle is turning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the signal state and left-turn protection level.
A circular solid green light indicates an unprotected left turn, meaning traffic turning left does not have exclusive right-of-way.
Solid green lights permit left turns only when the maneuver can be completed without impeding oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
2
Evaluate precedence regarding oncoming vehicles.
Oncoming traffic moving straight or turning right has right-of-way over vehicles executing an unprotected left turn.
Right-turning vehicles facing a green light have priority over left-turning vehicles entering the same roadway.
3
Evaluate precedence regarding pedestrians.
Pedestrians lawfully crossing in a marked or unmarked crosswalk always have the right-of-way over turning vehicles.
Traffic laws mandate yielding to vulnerable road users within designated crossing zones.
4
Synthesize obligations to determine the correct driver action.
You must yield to both the oncoming right-turning vehicle and the pedestrian in the crosswalk until the intersection and destination lanes are clear.
Combining yielding rules for unprotected left turns and pedestrian crosswalk priority requires waiting for all hazards to clear.

Key Concept

Unprotected left turn yielding precedence to oncoming vehicles and crosswalk pedestrians
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