Driving Safety Tips

Yield Right-of-Way
As a "defensive" driver, you should know exactly what the "YIELD-RIGHT-OF-WAY" traffic sign means. But do you? The YIELD sign—the newest of our signs of life—can mean any one of several things.

IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.

Although the YIELD sign is issuing you a command, it also calls on you to make a decision—it asks you to use your good judgment.

You'll find YIELD signs posted at intersections and at highway entrance ramps. When you see one, the first message it should convey to you is — SLOW DOWN! Although the law may differ on this by state or locally, you should slow down to 20 mph or less as you approach a YIELD sign. The second message you should get from the sign is — YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, CROSS TRAFFIC (BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT) HAS IT!

After you have slowed to a reasonable speed, one of two things will happen. First, if there is traffic and you cannot proceed safely, you must come to a DEAD STOP. And, you must wait for a safe interval in traffic before proceeding.

Or, you may be able to proceed without stopping—that is, if there is no danger of you interfering with cross of flowing traffic.

Think of a YIELD sign in this way: A YIELD sign is a STOP sign with a built in convenience factor—when conditions are right, you may proceed (after slowing down) almost as if it wasn't there.

Now, let's consider the YIELD sign in terms of the other driver. Does the driver know exactly what it means? I would not count on it! Protect yourself, DRIVE DEFENSIVELY!

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