When Should You Yield the Right-of-Way in Florida?
Most people that own a car and have a legal license to drive, operate their vehicle every day. Jumping in the car to go to work, run errands, take a road trip, and dropping the kids off at school are all reasons to use an automobile. Using a car makes getting from one place to the next fairly easy, fast, and necessary when long distances must be traveled. To get a license, one must take an on-the-road test and pass a written exam.
In the state of Florida, if someone wants to get their Florida driver’s license they must:
- Be 16 years of age or older.
- Have had a learner’s license for a minimum of 12 months if they are under the age of 18.
- A Certification of Minor Driving Experience Form in Florida must be completed by a parent or legal guardian.
- The certification form must indicate the young driver completed 50 hours of driver training with 10 done at night.
- The new driver must not have been convicted of any moving violations for one year from the date that the learner’s license was received.
- Obtain a passing score on the Class E Driving Skills Test.
- Must be driving a vehicle with proper registration and proof of insurance that has passed a vehicle inspection by the examiner at the time the driving test is to be taken.
- Must have documentation showing legal identification, Social Security number, and proof of residence.
It may seem like a long list of requirements but ensuring that safe drivers who understand the rules of the road are driving about is important to keep the roads as secure as possible. Sometimes, though, even the most veteran drivers forget the specifics when it comes to following the rules of the road. One of the most commonly confused actions drivers make is when to proceed forward and when to yield the right-of-way.
Failure to properly yield the right-of-way is incredibly dangerous. Proceeding forward when another car has the right to do so is very confusing. Two cars or more can easily crash into each other and cause an incident that has devastating results. A driver that improperly proceeds forward without yielding the right-of-way that causes a crash can be held liable for the resulting damages. If you were injured in a Jacksonville car accident by a negligent driver, connect with the Florida car accident attorneys at Sheftall Law to learn more about what you can do to obtain compensation.
What Does Yielding the Right-of-Way Mean?
As a driver, there are instances when your forward progression must be cautiously slowed down and stopped to let another driver or pedestrian continue their path forward. Allowing another party to go first in specific situations isn’t just polite, it is expected. Letting another driver or pedestrian travel forward before you in traffic is necessary to help avoid potentially catastrophic collisions. The right-of-way rules apply to everyone who uses the road including:
- Commercial car drivers.
- Drivers of private vehicles.
- Motorcyclists
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Trucks
- Busses
What are Florida Righ-of-Way Rules for Drivers?
It is the responsibility of everyone on the road to do what they can to prevent a crash from taking place. This includes yielding the right-of-way in certain traffic situations. Under Florida’s traffic laws, there are instances when a person must yield to others:
- A car must come to a complete stop at a stop sign and if pedestrians are crossing the street or another car is coming down the road, the car at the stop sign must wait and allow traffic and pedestrians to continue on. When there is a four-way stop the car that moves goes in order of who arrived at the stop sign first. It is important for those that are drivers on the right to be allowed priority for movement when two cars get to a stop at the same time.
- Roundabouts are not everywhere and for drivers who are not familiar with these turnstiles, it can be confusing. In many situations, no car has to fully stop, but the smooth flow of traffic can allow cars to get to where they want to go. Cars coming to a traffic circle must yield to those that are driving inside the circle in a counterclockwise direction.
- Intersections that do not have traffic signals or signs act similarly to four-way stop sign situations. The car that arrives first is permitted to move through the intersection first. Those that come out of a secondary road or an unpaved road must yield when crossing a highway or paved road. Cars turning left should yield to cars coming straight. Cars on the left should yield to those on the right if two cars arrive at the intersection at the same time.
- It is imperative to drive slower in a school zone and allow school children to cross the street in their crosswalks. Cars must abide by the directions of crossing guards and not stop in a designated crosswalk.
- Drivers must yield the right-of-way to people who are blind and have a support dog and/or white cane to show this.
- Drivers must yield the right-of-way to people that are disabled and make use of service dogs, supportive walking devices, and wheelchairs.
- When a school bus comes to a stop it will put out a stop sign and cars must stop their vehicle from moving and not pass. Cars should not move until the school bus pulls the sign back in and proceeds forward.
- Drivers must yield to the full number of vehicles in a funeral procession.
- When emergency vehicles have their blinkers and sound on, drivers must move out of the way and always yield the right-of-way.
Speak to a Jacksonville Car Accident Attorney Today
Familiarizing yourself with when it is proper to yield the right-of-way can help you drive safely and keep yourself and others better protected from harm. Should you or someone you love sustain injuries from a Jacksonville car accident, contact the Jacksonville car crash lawyers at Sheftall Law to discuss your case during a free consultation at 904-647-2296.