Readers of this blog may have encountered this common situation. They are driving along and come to a stop sign, where they come to a full stop. However, they reach the intersection at the same time as another driver. Who should go first, and more importantly, who has the right of way?

“Right of way” is an important concept that can have a lot of bearing on whether a person acted legally or not with regard to possible traffic offenses. It can differ depending upon whether two drivers are on the same road, whether one is on a separate road and turning onto the road of the other, or whether one has to cross the path of the other to make a turn.

For example, when a driver needs to turn left, they generally must cross oncoming traffic. In such situations, the left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic and allow those vehicles the right of way. Additionally, drivers generally must yield the right of way to vehicles that are in intersections and must wait until it is safe for them to enter the intersections after the others have cleared it.

The nuances of right of way can be complicated and too often drivers face traffic violations for taking action on the roads when, in fact, they may have been acting reasonably. Right of way tickets can be challenged and individuals who wish to pursue defenses to their tickets may want to discuss the facts of their cases with an attorney.