UNIT F

• Right-of-way


  Who should proceed and who must wait at an intersection
• Having right-of-way does not relieve you of responsibility to drive proactively and do what you can to prevent collisions.
• The right of way should never be taken, it must always be given to you by other drivers.
• Right-Of-Way Rules

  • You must yield to pedestrians who are legally crossing the road
  • You must yield to emergency vehicles when their sirens or flashing lights have been activated
  • If you are on an undivided road and see a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign, you must stop, no matter which direction you're going. If the road is divided, oncoming traffic can proceed with caution while watching for pedestrians
  • When exiting private property, a driveway, an alley or a parking lot, you must stop and yield to all other road users
  • You must stop at railroad crossings with flashing red lights, gates that are down, or that have a train within 500 metres of the crossing
  • When facing a yield sign, you must yield to cross-traffic and pedestrians
  • At a three or four-way stop, the driver of the vehicle that stops first should go first
  • If two or more vehicles arrive at the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left should yield to the vehicle on the right
• Even if you have the right-of-way, you have an obligation to do everything possible to prevent a collision. If you don't, you could get charged under the 'last clear chance' rule.
• Last clear chance


  As a driver having the last chance to avoid a collision
• Leaving the curb lane


  Requires the coordination of several basic vehicle handling skills as well as many visual judgement skills
• Leaving the curb

  1. Mirrors

  2. Shoulder

  3. Signal

  4. Shoulder

  5. Move
• Returning to the curb

  1. Mirrors

  2. Shoulder

  3. Signal

  4. Shoulder

  5. Move
• Changing lanes

  Involves visual scanning, smooth gradual steering, and speed adjustments
• How To Change Lanes

  1. Plan early to change lanes

  2. Check for an adequate gap in the flow of traffic. Check your inside and outside mirrors on the side you're heading towards

  3. Check over your shoulder to see your vehicle's blind spot

  4. Always use your signal light to let other drivers know your intentions

  5. Check over your shoulder again to see your blind spot or area to ensure that it is safe to change lanes

  6. When it's safe, change lanes gradually, maintaining your speed so you can keep up with the flow of traffic

  7. Once in the desired lane, remember to cancel your signal light
• Best Practices For Changing Lanes

  • Plan ahead
  • Check lane markings and scan for signs to make sure lane changes are permitted on the road you're on
  • Choose the lane that best suits your needs
  • Follow the speed limit during lane changes
  • On multi-lane highways, slower traffic should use the far right lane so other vehicles can use the left lane for passing
  • If you can't change lanes without disrupting traffic flow, wait until you can
• Safe Merging

  1. Begin to plan your merge early. Signal in good time to give lots of notice to the traffic behind you, and to alert the traffic on the highway of your intention to merge into their lane

  2. Time your approach to blend in smoothly with traffic

  3. Use the acceleration lane to bring your vehicle to a safe merging speed, within the speed limit of the road onto which you're merging

  4. Drivers on the main road that approach a merging area should be prepared to change lanes if possible, or adjust their speed to help merging drivers enter the lane

  5. When exiting a highway, if there's a deceleration lane, use it to slow your vehicle to a safe speed
• SIPDE While Merging

  1. Search and Identify

  2. Predict

  3. Decide

  4. Execute
• It's incorrect to prevent a vehicle from merging by increasing your speed or by closing the gap ahead of you.
• Merging correctly requires that you time your approach and smoothly blend in with the flow of traffic.
• Intersection with stop line

  • Bring your vehicle to a complete stop before the line
  • Yield to cross traffic that has the right-of-way, then proceed when safe to do so
• Intersection with stop line and crosswalk

  • Stop before the stop line and allow pedestrians to cross
  • Then proceed when safe to do so
• Intersection with no stop line, only crosswalk

  • Stop so that no part of your vehicle is within the crosswalk area
  • Allow pedestrians to cross and proceed when it is safe
• Intersection with no stop line or crosswalk

  • Stop three metres, or 10 feet, before the intersection
  • The location of the stop sign has no bearing on where you should stop
• Right-of-way must always be given—it can never be taken—and right-of-way rules apply to all road users.
• Turning Right

  1. Prepare for a turn well in advance of the intersection

  2. Turn from the right-hand lane closest to the curb, unless otherwise marked

  3. Yield right of way to pedestrians and obey any yield or stop sign facing you

  4. Stay centred in your lane as you turn

  5. Turn into the lane closest to curb, as long as it's unobstructed. If it's obstructed, use the lane immediately to the left of the obstruction. Yield to vehicles that are already in that lane
• Turning right

  1. Enter the turning lane as soon as possible

  2. Signal right

  3. Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians

  4. Proceed when safe
• Turning right at a green light

  1. Enter the right lane

  2. Signal

  3. Yield to pedestrians and bicycles to the right

  4. Turn into the right lane
• Turning right at a green light with a parked vehicle in the right lane

  1. Enter the right lane

  2. Signal

  3. Yield to pedestrians and bicycles to the right

  4. Turn into the right lane

  5. Change to the left lane to avoid the parked vehicle
• Turning right with a parked vehicle in the right lane near the intersection

  1. Enter the right lane

  2. Signal

  3. Yield to pedestrians and bicycles to the right

  4. Turn into the adjacent lane at a sharp angle when safe to complete curb extension
• Turning right at a red light

  1. Enter the right lane

  2. Make a complete stop

  3. Yield to pedestrians at the crosswalk

  4. Yield to the first two lanes of oncoming traffic from the left

  5. Proceed when safe
• Turning left from a 2-way street onto a 2-way street


  Turn from the lane closest to the right of the centre median or line on the street you're exiting, into the lane closest to the right of the centre median or line on the street you're entering
• Turning left from a one-way street onto a 2-way street


  Turn from the lane closest to the left side of the road on the road you're exiting, into the lane to the immediate right of the centre median or line on the road you're entering
• Turning left from a 2-way street onto a one-way street


  Turn from the lane closest to the centre median or line on the road you're exiting, into the first available lane on the left side of the road you're entering
• Turning left from a one-way street onto a one-way street


  Turn from the lane closest to the left side of the road you are exiting, to the lane closest to the left side of the road you are entering
• Advancing when light is green but not yielding to oncoming traffic


  Will result in a collision if there's an oncoming vehicle
• Advancing when light is green but failing to shoulder check for pedestrians at the crosswalk


  Results in a situation of failing to yield to pedestrians and oncoming vehicles
• Turning too wide as a result of excessive speed


  May cause a collision
• Accelerating towards the intersection to beat a flashing hand signal at high speed


  The vehicle is unable to turn into the left lane and instead enters into the right lane forcing the other vehicle to take evasive action
• Turning left at the same time as a right turning vehicle is turning into the adjacent lane


  Creates crash potential
• A large vehicle waiting to make a left turn from the opposite side

  May obstruct your view of oncoming vehicles
• Taking a risk and turning left while unsure of oncoming traffic


  May result in a collision
• Following another vehicle into the intersection is not permitted. Only one vehicle should advance into the intersection at a time
• Correct approach to make a left turn with a dedicated left turn lane

  1. Enter dedicated left turn lane as soon as possible

  2. Observe signals, and shoulder check

  3. If the traffic signals shows an arrow indicated turn, proceed when arrow is green

  4. If there's no arrow, advance into the intersection, keeping vehicle wheels straight, yield to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians at crosswalks, then proceed when safe into the left lane