Q&A for How to Determine Who Has Right of Way

The car with the protected turn light has the right of way. Any car making a right on red must come to a complete stop and make sure that the intersection is clear before proceeding.

If a car is in the intersection, it has the right of way to clear the intersection before another car enters the intersection.

The driver turning right has the right-of-way. Left turns must yield to traffic in the lane to which they want to turn.

The driver making a (legal) U-turn on a green left turn arrow has the right of way. A driver can only turn right on red after yielding to all oncoming traffic, even for a vehicle turning left or making a U-turn on a green arrow.

The left turn at a green stoplight because the right turn has a yield sign. Yield signs require that the car yield to all vehicles, regardless of approach.

The vehicle already on the roadway has the right of way, because the vehicle exiting the parking lot has a stop sign.

It depends. The vehicle to your right always has right of way. If the two cars are facing each other, it would be the one that is continuing in the same direction over the one making a left.

Nobody really has the right of way in a situation like that, so usually one driver will voluntarily yield to the other. (The car that arrives at the choke point last usually yields to the driver that arrived first.)

Crossing a street occurs when you cross all lanes of the street. If you only cross half the lanes and then turn, it would be a turn.

Yes; the cars turning right have the right of way. If there is a gap between cars large enough for you to safely make your turn, it is legal to do so. If not, you have to wait until the lane is clear.

The one on the street has the right of way; the one entering from a driveway or alley must wait until the street is clear of traffic.

Technically, yes, in a situation where both cars have a stop sign, the car who approached first has the right of way. However, it is always a good idea to make sure the car opposite you is stopping fully before turning in front of it.

The first car to get to the light has the right of way while the second car to get there has to wait, even if the light is green.

The slow vehicle has the right of way if it isn't interfering with other traffic. You cannot pass a vehicle near an intersection.

Depends upon how many roads meet and what other signs there are, if any. Generally, the driver without the stop sign has the right of way.

Generally, the second driver arriving at that situation would yield to the other, not to mention all cross traffic.

Technically, if you had already waited for it to clear and started into the intersection before the other car came into view, then you have "the right of way" and the other driver is required to be watching and slow down if necessary to avoid a collision. Even many cops are unfamiliar with this rule, so you may need to explain it to a judge, if you're cited for "causing" a problem.

The second vehicle should yield to the first, since you have no idea who is making a left and who is making a U-turn.

Left-turning traffic must yield to any on-coming traffic, unless a signal directs otherwise (e.g., left arrow for "protected left" or a sign indicating "advanced green").

Assuming you mean drivers from opposite directions, that would be an illegal signal configuration, since a left arrow signifies "protected" against movement by other drivers. In reality, the left-turning driver should yield to the "oncoming traffic", as necessary.

Lane reduction requires drivers in each lane to take turns proceeding into the single lane. In effect, the first car to the pinch point has the right of way, but the car behind them does not.

Criminal laws vary in each specific jurisdiction. Generally, a traffic "accident" is not a criminal matter unless there is proof that a driver acted recklessly or intentionally to cause the collision.

Generally, the second driver should yield to the other driver, regardless of which way the other driver elects to proceed. However, some drivers are trained that left-turns must always yield to on-coming traffic, which is not the actual rule in most places.

Stop sign means stop. Yield sign means to stop only if other traffic is arriving with the right of way. The driver at the stop sign must yield right of way to the other driver.

The first person who got there has right of way. As a rule of the road it has the same rules at the 4 way intersection.

The merging lane has right of way because you are supposed to move over a lane to allow the merging motorist to join in.

Two drivers at opposite stop signs are bound by the "first to arrive" rule, not the "turning must yield" rule.

At 4-way, it is always the first to arrive who must be given the right of way, regardless of which way they go.

There is generally no "merge" sign in this situation. "Merge" of two lanes to one means the drivers in each lane take turns going into the single line.