Intersections, Right-of-Way, Turns, Passing, School Buses and Parking

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the New York State Class D knowledge (written) test. The facts follow the official manual; the wording is ours.

Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, chapter 5 "Intersections and Turns" (pp. 34–38), chapter 6 "How to Pass" (pp. 39–41) and chapter 7 "Parallel Parking" (pp. 42–44).

Right-of-way

Most crashes happen at intersections when someone turns, and many in large parking lots. Signs, signals and markings do not settle every conflict; the right-of-way rules do.

• A driver approaching an intersection yields to traffic already in it: with a green light and a vehicle already turning left in the intersection, let it finish before you enter.
• When drivers from opposite directions arrive at about the same time, the one turning left yields to traffic going straight or turning right. With a green light you may enter the intersection to wait for a left turn if no vehicle ahead is also waiting to turn left; keep to the right of the center line and keep the wheels straight so a rear-end hit does not push you into oncoming traffic, then finish the turn when traffic clears or stops for a red. Turning left into a driveway or parking lot also requires yielding to oncoming traffic, and any left turn requires yielding to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard; if in doubt, wait.
• At an intersection without signs or signals, or when two or more drivers stop at STOP signs at the same time at right angles, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
• Entering a road from a driveway, private road or other non-roadway, stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians; turning left means yielding to both directions.
• Drivers yield to pedestrians legally in marked or unmarked crosswalks, slowing or stopping as needed, including a pedestrian who stepped off on red before the light turned green, and pedestrians in the crosswalks to your left or right before you turn. Always take care to avoid pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Do not enter an intersection if traffic is backed up on the far side and you cannot get completely through; watch cross streets and offset intersections so you never cause gridlock.
• A driver approaching a traffic circle or rotary yields to drivers already in the circle.

Emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

Yield to fire, ambulance, police and other authorized emergency vehicles responding with flashing red, red and blue, or red and white lights and possibly a siren or air horn (police vehicles are not always required to sound one). When one heads toward you from any direction, including the opposite lane of a two-way road, pull over to the right edge immediately and stop until it has passed; if you are in an intersection, drive out of it first. If you hear a siren close by but cannot see the vehicle, pull to the right and stop until you are sure it is not coming toward you. Emergency drivers may legally speed, pass red lights and STOP or YIELD signs, go the wrong way on one-way streets and make turns that are normally not allowed, so be cautious.

The Move Over law: near an authorized emergency or hazard vehicle parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder or any part of the highway with its emergency lights or amber lights (or amber and blue) on, every driver must reduce speed on all roads, and on parkways, interstates and other multi-lane controlled-access roads must also move out of the lane next to it unless traffic or hazards make that unsafe. The same applies to vehicles showing blue or green lights and to any vehicle stopped on the shoulder or roadway of a parkway or controlled-access highway. Violations are moving violations.

Blue, green and amber lights: blue lights are the personal vehicles of volunteer firefighters answering alarms, green lights the vehicles of volunteer ambulance or rescue squad members, and amber lights hazard vehicles such as snow plows and tow trucks (tow vehicles may add rear blue lights); flashing amber also marks rural mail vehicles and school buses. None of these are authorized emergency vehicles and their drivers must obey all traffic laws; you need not yield, but should as a courtesy when safe.

Turns

Signal every turn and lane change with the signal lights or hand signals at least 100 feet ahead, ideally before you brake. Hand signals: left arm straight out for a left turn, bent up for a right turn, bent down for stop or slow. Before any turn, reduce speed and check all sides, especially for motorcycles, since most car-motorcycle crashes happen because the driver failed to see the motorcycle. Keep the wheels straight until the turn begins, remember the rear wheels track inside the front wheels (nearer the curb on a right turn, nearer oncoming traffic on a left), and watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and moped riders, and for people in wheelchairs, with strollers or pulling wheeled suitcases, who sit low and hide behind cars. These positions are legal requirements:

• Right turn: get as far right as possible, no wide sweeping turns, and turn into the right lane of the new road unless signs say otherwise.
• Left turn, one-way road into one-way road: from the left lane into the left lane of a two-lane one-way road.
• Left turn, one-way road into two-way road: approach in the left lane and enter the two-way road to the right of its center line, as close to it as possible; watch for traffic from the road on the left.
• Left turn, two-way road into two-way road: approach from the right half of the road nearest the center; use the left side of the intersection so you do not interfere with an oncoming left-turner; enter to the right of the new road's center line, as close as possible to it.
• Left turn, two-way road into four-lane highway: approach from the right half nearest the center and enter the left lane, to the right of the center line; move out of it when traffic permits.
• Left turn, two-way road into one-way road: approach from the right half nearest the center, turn before reaching the center of the intersection, into the left lane of the one-way road.

U-turns and three-point turns

A U-turn is any turn made to go back the opposite way. Avoid one on a highway unless absolutely necessary; use a parking lot or driveway and, if possible, re-enter the road moving forward. A U-turn may be made only from the left part of the lane nearest the center line, never from the right lane, and unless signs forbid it you may U-turn when a green left-turn arrow gives you the go, yielding to other traffic. U-turns are illegal near the top of a hill, on a curve or wherever other drivers cannot see you from 500 feet in either direction, in business districts of New York City, where NO U-TURN signs are posted, in a school zone, and always on a limited access expressway, even where paths connect the two sides.

A three-point turn turns you around on a narrow two-way street and may be required on the road test: signal right, pull to the right and stop; signal left and check all directions; turn left across the road until you face the left curb; check again, turn the wheel fully right and back up while looking behind, stopping before the right curb; then check again, turn the wheel fully left and pull forward to complete the turn when safe.

Passing

Drive on the right and pass on the left; passing on the right is allowed only in certain conditions, when necessary and safe. Never exceed the speed limit to pass. Give a motorcycle the full lane width and never share its lane even if it is to one side. When overtaking a bicycle from behind, the law requires passing on the left at a safe distance until it is cleared. Signal a lane change at least 100 feet ahead. Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk for a pedestrian.

You may not pass on the left when your lane has a solid yellow center line, when you cannot safely return before reaching a solid yellow line on your side, when you cannot return before an oncoming vehicle comes within 200 feet, when approaching a curve or hilltop on a two-way road you cannot see over, within 100 feet of a railroad crossing on a two-way road, within 100 feet of a bridge, tunnel or viaduct on a two-way road with an obstructed view, or when you would interfere with oncoming traffic. To pass: check the mirrors, signal, and look quickly over your left shoulder through the back side window, because mirrors leave blind spots; move fully into the left lane; before returning, signal and check that you can see the front bumper of the passed vehicle in your interior rear-view mirror, glance over your right shoulder for several feet of pavement between the vehicles, then return.

You may pass on the right only when safe and: the vehicle ahead is turning left; on a two-way road marked or wide enough for two or more lanes in each direction with no sign, parked car or obstruction preventing it; or on a one-way road marked or wide enough for two or more lanes. Never drive on or across the shoulder or edge line to pass unless a sign or officer allows. Passing on the right at an intersection, make sure no approaching vehicle is about to turn left into your path and watch the right side for pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skaters and moped riders.

Being passed on the left: slow slightly and stay centered in your lane, then resume speed once the other vehicle is ahead. If many vehicles pass you on the right, move into the right lane.

School buses

When a stopped school bus flashes its red lights, traffic from either direction, even in front of the school, in school parking lots, and on the opposite side of a divided highway, must stop before reaching the bus, ideally at least 20 feet away, and stay stopped until the bus moves or the driver or a traffic officer waves you on. The bus is identified by its "SCHOOL BUS" sign, roof red lights and yellow-orange color; flashing yellow lights near the roof mean it is about to stop, so slow down and prepare to stop. Vehicles carrying people with disabilities can be equipped as school buses and get the same stop. After stopping, look for children along the road and drive slowly past them; most school bus deaths happen to children crossing after leaving the bus, not in bus collisions. The fine runs from at least $250 for a first violation to $1,000 for three in three years, and three convictions in three years revoke the license for at least six months. Stop-arm cameras fine the vehicle owner $250 for a first violation, $275 for a second within 18 months and $300 for a third or later.

Parallel parking

Part of every road test. Pick a space big enough on your side of the road, check the mirrors, signal, and stop beside the vehicle ahead of the space about two feet away. Look over both shoulders, back slowly and turn the wheel fully toward the near curb, looking through the rear window, not the mirrors, glancing ahead so you clear the vehicle in front. When your front wheels are opposite the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead, turn the wheel the other way while backing, and stop before touching the vehicle behind. Straighten the wheels and pull forward, leaving room front and rear. Your wheels must end no more than one foot from the curb; work closer with short forward and back moves. Back-up cameras and self-parking help, but you remain responsible for checking behind you. After parking, do not open the road-side door if it would interfere with bicyclists or traffic.

On a hill: set the parking brake, put the transmission in Park (first gear on a manual), and turn the wheels toward the curb or side of the road so the car cannot roll into traffic. Pulling out: straighten the wheels, back toward the vehicle behind, and turn the wheels away from the curb; then the six steps into traffic: look over your right shoulder and through the rear window, use the interior mirror, signal, check the side mirrors, look over your left shoulder as you ease forward clear of the car ahead, and look over the left shoulder again as you enter the lane when safe.

Parking, standing and stopping rules

Parking is stopping, occupied or not, other than briefly to load or unload merchandise or passengers; standing is stopping only to pick up or drop off passengers; stopping is any halt, even momentary. A NO PARKING sign still allows a temporary stop to load or unload merchandise or passengers; NO STANDING allows a temporary stop only to load or unload passengers, and the driver may not leave the vehicle; NO STOPPING allows a stop only to obey a sign, signal or officer or to avoid a conflict with other vehicles.

You may not park, stop or stand: within 15 feet of a fire hydrant (unless a licensed driver stays in the car to move it); on the road side of a parked vehicle (double parking); on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk; in an intersection unless signs or meters allow; on railroad tracks; beside or opposite road work or an obstruction if you would block traffic; within 30 feet of a pedestrian safety area unless marked otherwise; or on a bridge or in a tunnel. You may not park or stand: in front of a driveway; within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection; within 30 feet of a traffic light, STOP or YIELD sign; within 20 feet of a fire station driveway or 75 feet on the opposite side; or along a curb cut for sidewalk access. You may not park within 50 feet of a railroad crossing.

Reserved parking for people with disabilities: only with disabled plates or a permit from DMV, a New York municipality or another state, and only while the vehicle is carrying the person the plates or permit were issued to. The rule covers spaces set by local ordinance and, by state law, in shopping centers with five or more stores and 20 or more public parking spaces. Never park in the diagonal-striped spaces beside reserved spots, which give wheelchair access. False statements on a plate application are a misdemeanor with mandatory revocation; false statements for a permit bring civil penalties of $250 to $1,000 plus a surcharge, for the applicant and any certifying doctor. Unless a municipality sets more, a shopping-center violation costs $50 to $75 for a first offense and $75 to $150 for a second within two years, plus a $30 surcharge.

Practise this with New York Driver License questions

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