Who Has the Right of Way at an Intersection?

Knowing how to drive means more than simply understanding how to operate a motor vehicle. It’s also essential to have a full understanding of the rules of the road, including traffic laws related to intersections. An intersection is any section of roadway where at least streets cross or join. According to data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), over 50% of all accidents occur in intersections, accounting for 25% of traffic fatalities.

Failure to follow the rules of right of way at intersections is a major cause of accidents in Seattle and throughout Washington. Not following these important traffic laws not only puts a driver and other motorists on the road at risk of an accident but also leaves the negligent driver liable for damages.

It’s important to know when you have the right of way and when you must yield the right of way at every type of intersection found in Seattle and throughout Washington.

Stoplights and Right of Way

Stoplights may seem like the simplest of intersections since everyone knows that they must apply caution on yellow, stop on red, and go on green, but there are some lesser-understood rules that apply to the right of way at intersections with stoplights. For instance:

• It is legal to turn right on red as long as there are no signs prohibiting it, but drivers making a right on red must yield the right of way to any vehicle making a U-turn on a green arrow
• At a flashing yellow arrow, drivers must yield the right of way to whoever has a green light but may continue on their turn if the way is clear
• When making a left turn on a solid green light, drivers must yield to vehicles making a right turn from the other side of the intersection

Distracted driving is a major contributor to accidents in intersections with stoplights when an inattentive driver drives through a red light.

Right of Way at Intersections Without Traffic Signals

When there is no signal light present at an intersection, it’s important to know the rules of right of way. For instance:

• At 4-way stops, the first person to come to a full stop at the intersection has the right of way. The second person at the intersection goes next, then the third, and so on; however, if two motorists arrive at a full stop in the intersection at the same time, the person on the right proceeds first. The same rules apply at intersections with “all-way stops”
• When making a left turn at an intersection, drivers must yield the right of way to any oncoming vehicles
• When entering a roundabout, drivers must yield the right of way to vehicles approaching from the left
• Drivers must yield the right of way to emergency vehicles in an intersection regardless of their direction through the intersection
• Pedestrians have the right of way at intersections regardless of whether or not there is a marked crosswalk

Is It Legal to Change Lanes in an Intersection?

While several states have laws specifically prohibiting changing lanes within 100 yards of an intersection, it’s legal to change lanes in an intersection in Washington; however, drivers should only change lanes in an intersection if they remain vigilant of other drivers approaching the intersection since law enforcement could still ticket them for making an unsafe lane change. If you have questions about a car accident that resulted from an improper turn, contact a Seattle car accident lawyer.