RIGHT TURN AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Glance to the left for an emergency vehicle that may be crossing on red, or a psycho running red lights.

Another life-saving habit is to watch out for vehicles driving against red light.

At traffic lights you must give way to a crossing emergency vehicle even if you are facing a green light.

Looking at the “entering point”, make a square turn past the middle of the crossing road (right turn is “far and square”).

But take care not to go farther than needed, or you may obstruct way for the oncoming cars turning right simultaneously with you.

Starting the right turn in the rightmost lane, enter the crossing road immediately past its centre, into its rightmost lane as well (unless only one lane is allowed right turn AND you are turning on green arrow or into the continuing road of a T-intersection).

If only one lane is allowed right turn AND you are turning on green arrow or into the continuing road of a T-intersection, you may go into any lane (e.g.into the leftmost lane); enter the new road in the lane appropriate for the upcoming turn.

If several lanes have right turn arrow road marking, you must stay in the same lane as you go from one road to another.

You must complete the right turn in the same lane in which you started it. Generally, you cannot go straight into a left-hand lane, and if you need to, first complete the right turn in the same lane, and then change lanes to the left in a regular way.

This is a requirement of ARR (r.22 (3)).

The only exception is when two conditions are met:

first, the only one lane is allowed to turn right; and

second, you are turning right on green arrow, or from a terminating into a continuing road of a T-intersection.

A turn on green turn arrow is also referred to as “protected turn”, because traffic lights make it safe for you to choose any lane you want; in case of the terminating road of a T-intersection, geometry of the intersection plays the same role. Hence, you may enter the new road in any lane of your choice. For example, if after this turn you plan to turn left, go straight into the leftmost lane.

Remember, if a lane next to you also has turn arrow road marking, you must complete the turn in the same lane you started it, or in other words, enter the new road in the same lane you left the old one; otherwise, you risk collision with the neighbouring vehicle. ARR require you to do so even if there is no vehicle in the lane next to you that also has right turn road marking (r.33).

Photo: Right turn at traffic lights - Turning right in the rightmost lane enter the new road in the rightmost lane as well