You would be surprised at how many people fail to yield the right of way. Obviously, this can have dangerous ramifications. However, since all situations require personal judgment, right of way laws are sometimes difficult to understand. Instead of assuming that other drivers will automatically yield the right of way, you should pay careful attention to their intentions and actions. It is the responsibility of all drivers to avoid a collision and the last driver who has the opportunity to avoid one has an obligation to do so. Here are some common right of way situations you may encounter with your Plymouth car rental and how to negotiate them safely.
Entering Roadways from Driveways, Alleys, and Parked Positions
A Plymouth car rental entering a road from a parked position, parking lot, shopping area, alley, or private drive must yield to motor vehicles approaching on the road to be entered, as well as pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Freeway Merging with Your Plymouth Car Rental
When you merge in traffic, it means a coming together or blending of vehicles to maintain a smooth flow of traffic. On freeways, merging requires both the freeway driver and the merging driver to adjust speed and position to avoid a collision.
In terms of etiquette, if a freeway driver can move over to allow the merging driver to safely enter the freeway, then they should do so. If they cannot, the merging driver must wait until it is safe to join the freeway.
Entering and Passing Through Traffic Circles
If your Plymouth car rental is entering the traffic circle, you are required to yield the right of way to any vehicles already in the circle.
If you are already in the circle and you need to exit the circle, you should yield the right of way to other vehicles in the circle.
Yielding and School Buses
You are required to bring your Plymouth car rental to a complete stop when you meet a bus loading or unloading school children.
Yielding to Pedestrians
If a pedestrian is crossing the street outside of the crosswalks, they should yield to all vehicles. Likewise, if pedestrians are crossing a roadway crosswalk, they should yield to all vehicles. However, if the pedestrian is a blind person with a white cane or a guide dog, they are an exception to this rule.
If a pedestrian is crossing the road at a marked crosswalk, then you must yield the right of way.
Entering an Intersection
If you are entering a road from a parked position, parking lot, shopping area, alley, or private drive, you should yield to cars approaching on the road you want to enter and pedestrians on the sidewalk.
What about Emergency Vehicles?
When an authorized emergency vehicle approaches using its lights and siren, all other drivers should pull over to the side of the road and remain stopped until the vehicle has passed. The exception to the rule would be if a police officer directs you otherwise.
Yielding to Funeral Processions
In order to respect the funeral, do not drive between moving vehicles that are a part of the funeral procession. That said, this does not give them the same license as an emergency vehicle with sirens. The lead vehicle in a funeral procession will obey stop signs and signals when approaching them.
While some laws change from state-to-state, who yields the right of way is pretty universal. By showing other drivers and pedestrians common courtesy and knowing when to yield, you can help make the roads a much safer place. If you have any questions about your Plymouth car rental or driving in Massachusetts, do not hesitate to contact VERC Rentals today.
Tags: Plymouth car rental
