Lesson 49: What Your Teen Needs to Know About Intersections (Part 2)

Failure to yield the right-of-way causes almost every intersection collision. Teach your teen to avoid a crash and a ticket by sticking to your state’s rules of the road and always yielding the right-of-way. Practice these guidelines for traffic lights on your next drive.

1. Green lights
   
   
   • As you approach an intersection where the light has been green for a while, teens should be prepared for the light to change. Have them take their foot off the accelerator, cover the brake with their right foot and be prepared to stop.
   • When a red light turns green, before proceeding, teens need to check that traffic has stopped. They should look left, then right and then scan before they proceed.
   
   
2. Yellow lights
   
   
   • Remind teens that a yellow light does not mean they should jam the accelerator to the floor and fly through it. A yellow light allows you time to clear the intersection when you’re already driving through it, not when you’re approaching it.
   
   
3. Red lights (turning on red)
   Turning right on a red light is allowed only when conditions are suitable and when:


• Your state permits it.
• No sign prohibits a right turn on red.
• The car has come to a complete stop in the extreme right lane.
• Pedestrians are clear of the crosswalk.
• Traffic is clear.

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