It’s a staggering fact that intersection collisions account for roughly 20% of road fatalities [1] in Australia. Unfortunately, many of these are due to drivers not paying attention to signposts among other vehicles and pedestrians also using the intersection. So, it’s time to brush up on your knowledge of giving way at intersections to help prevent a costly or potentially life-threatening crash. Show It starts by re-familiarising yourself with the common signs at intersections:STOP sign – Indicated by a red octagonal sign and solid line across your lane, a STOP sign means you must come to a complete stop before entering the intersection and allow any other traffic to pass through before you choose a safe gap to continue. You need to ensure you’re stopping as close the line as possible without going over so you have the best view of oncoming traffic possible. If there’s no solid line at a STOP sign, you should stop as close to the corner of the intersection without entering it. Give Way sign – At a give way sign, you’re not required to come to a complete stop however you must always allow other traffic passing through the intersection to continue before you enter. This includes anyone travelling in, entering or approaching an intersection, including pedestrians. Giving Way at T IntersectionsIf you’re travelling on a road which comes to an end and want to turn left or right into a T Intersection, you must always give the right of way to both cars and pedestrians travelling on the road you’re turning onto, unless otherwise signposted. Giving Way to Pedestrians at IntersectionsWhen you’re turning at an intersection, you need to make sure you’re always keeping an eye out for pedestrians and allow them to finish crossing before you proceed. Pedestrians actually have the right of way over any vehicle when crossing the road a vehicle is turning into. For example, if you’re turning left or right onto a street and someone is crossing or approaching to cross that street, you must stop or slow to allow them to cross. When turning right, this could mean you need to wait in your lane prior to entering the intersection to avoid getting caught in the middle and risking collision with oncoming traffic. Give Way Rules When There Are No Signs at an IntersectionIt’s uncommon to find yourself at an intersection without any signposts in city areas, however if you’re taking a day trip to suburban or rural areas, you’ll likely face this situation. Don’t panic, because giving way at an intersection with no signs is easier to navigate than you think. Generally, if you’re turning across another vehicle’s path, you must give way. This means when turning at an intersection you’re always giving way to oncoming vehicles continuing straight, oncoming vehicles turning left and any vehicle on your right. When you’re preparing to turn right and an oncoming vehicle approaches to turn right also, you can both turn at the same time passing in front of each other. One important thing to remember when using intersections is that it’s illegal to be caught idling in the middle of an intersection, whether there are traffic lights or not. So, if traffic is heavy and you’re thinking of being cheeky and sneaking through an intersection before the light turns red, you could be hit with a hefty fine. You must always make sure that the lane you are entering on the other side of the intersection is clear and safe for you to enter before you move into the intersection. This is so you don’t get caught in the path of other oncoming traffic, because that’s a collision just waiting to happen!
Car A (blue) must give way to car B (green). References
To give way to another vehicle or a pedestrian, means:(a) if that vehicle or pedestrian is stopped - you must remain stationary until it is safe to proceed. (b) in any other case - slow down and, if necessary, stop to avoid a collision. Giving way at Pedestrian Crossings and Children's CrossingsAt a pedestrian crossing, you must:
At a children's crossing (Example 17), you must:
At both types of crossing, you must:
Giving way to BusesWhen in a built-up area, you must give way to any bus displaying the Give Way to Buses sign if the bus is indicating to move out from the kerb. On a multi-lane road, this only applies to the left lane. If the left lane is a bike lane or is obstructed (e.g. a parked car), drivers in the lane next to the left lane must also give way. The bus driver must exercise due care and only move out if it is safe. Giving way to Trains and TramsYou must give way to all trains or trams on or approaching from any direction at level crossings. You must stop and give way to pedestrians between the edge of the road and a stationary tram. Giving way at Stop and Give Way signsAt an intersection, if you are facing a Stop sign/line or a Give Way sign/line, you must give way to a vehicle coming from any other direction (Examples 18 and 19) except:
If turning left or right at the intersection, you must also give way to any pedestrian crossing the road you are entering. If you are proceeding straight ahead and a pedestrian is intending to cross the road, you must drive with due care and attention and, if necessary, take action to avoid a collision. You must also give way to any vehicle or pedestrian at or near a Stop sign/line or Give Way sign/line at any other place. Stop signs and Give Way signs are described in more detail under Road Signs. see here Importantly, if you are approaching a Give Way sign/line, and there is no danger of colliding with another vehicle or a pedestrian or bicycle rider crossing the road, you do not have to stop at the Give Way sign/line before proceeding but you must slow down and prepare to stop if this becomes necessary. Giving way when turning left from a Slip LaneYou must give way to any pedestrian or bicycle rider on, or entering the slip lane and to any vehicle approaching from your right including an oncoming vehicle that has turned right at the intersection (Example 20). A slip lane is an area of road for vehicles turning left that is separated at some point by a painted island or traffic island. Giving way at T-intersections
If you are on the terminating road, you must give way to all vehicles approaching from either direction on the continuing road and to any pedestrian at, near or crossing a continuing road. Examples 23 and 24, show a vehicle giving way when approaching the intersection where the terminating road is the 'stem' of the 'T' and there are no traffic lights, road markings or signs. Examples 25 and 26, show that when turning right from the continuing road, you must also give way to any approaching traffic including any vehicle turning left into the terminating road. You must also give way to any pedestrian or bicycle rider crossing the road you are entering.
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