Our Next Question is about the right of way, and the wrong way to make a U-turn.
Who has the right of way: a driver making a U-Turn, or someone making a right turn into the same lane?
Different drivers in the Next office do it differently, so we asked the experts at Master Drive, the driving school, and even they weren't sure right away.
They did some research, and found out that at an intersection like the one at Sheridan Boulevard and West 100th Avenue in Westminster, for example, there's no specific state statute with an exact answer.
The solid white line on the side of the street means both the person turning right and the person flipping a U-turn should stay in separate lanes. Therefore, even if they both turned at the same time, they'd be fine.
However, both the person making the U-Turn and the person turning right should be yielding to other traffic.
Here's the official rundown of the rules from Master Drive:
In general, people making u-turns cannot interfere with other traffic. Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) 42-4-902 states that when making a u-turn:
"The driver of any vehicle shall not turn such vehicle at an intersection or any other location so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with or endangering other traffic.”
Also, if we were to consider our u-turn as a left turn, CRS 42-4-702 states that the person turning left must yield right of way to:
"any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard. Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class A traffic infraction.”
However, as far as the person turning right is concerned, CRS 42-4-709 indicates that they cannot turn right if that obstructs the passage of other vehicles:
"No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle the driver is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains, notwithstanding the indication of any traffic control signal to proceed. Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class A traffic infraction.”
And, the person turning right has a stop sign. The stop sign also means they should yield. CRS 42-4-703:
"The department of transportation and local authorities, within their respective jurisdictions, may erect and maintain stop signs, yield signs, or other official traffic control devices to designate through highways or to designate intersections or other roadway junctions at which vehicular traffic on one or more of the roadways is directed to yield or to stop and yield before entering the intersection or junction."
Now, with all of that said, Master Drive says that if they had to give advice, they'd say let the U-Turn driver go first, and then the right turn driver.
Do you agree with the verdict? Let us know. #HeyNext
