The first rule at a 4-way stop sign is the driver who stops first gets to go first.

The Vehicle Code doesn’t require vehicles that are “approaching” a 4-way stop to yield the right-of-way; it only pertains to vehicles that “stop at the same time”.  Arriving or approaching a stop sign may mean different things to different drivers but “making a complete stop” has only one meaning.  This is one of the main reasons why so many drivers roll through stop signs.

A crosswalk may be associated with or without a stop sign.  Example:  An intersection with only a 2-way stop may have crosswalks on all four streets; a crosswalk may exist without a stop or yield sign.  A crosswalk exists to show drivers and pedestrians where pedestrians are supposed to cross.  Often, drivers assume the painted crosswalk (on the cross street) automatically means they have a stop sign and will treat the intersection as a 4-way stop when in reality it’s only a 2-way stop.

A limit line however cannot exist unless it’s associated with a stop or yield sign.  Limit lines also help the traffic determine if the cross-street has a control such as a stop or yield sign.

It is never legal to make a right turn on a red arrow; a driver must wait until the arrow changes to green.

Note:  There is an exception to this rule.  If the red arrow is flashing, a driver must treat it as they would a red flashing light which means they would treat it as a stop sign.

In California it is legal to make a left turn on a red light from a One-Way street to a One-Way street.  Other States may not allow this turn.

A stop sign tells a driver what to do….not where to do it.  In the California Vehicle Code, a crosswalk is defined as:

California Vehicle Code: 275.   “Crosswalk” is either:

(a) That portion of a roadway included within the prolongation or connection of the boundary lines of sidewalks at intersection where the intersecting roadways meet at approximately right angles, except the prolongation of such lines from an alley across a street.

(b) Any portion of a roadway distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, there shall not be a crosswalk where local authorities have placed signs indicating no crossing.

The proper place to stop when there are no painted crosswalks or limit lines is behind the “unmarked crosswalk” as defined in paragraph (a) which is an extension of the sidewalk for the purpose of allowing pedestrians a path to cross.

A blind intersection is when a driver is 100 feet from an intersection, they can’t see vehicles approaching 100 feet to the left or to the right down the cross street.

An uncontrolled intersection is an intersection without any stop signs or yield signs from any direction and is very often confused with the term “blind”. 

A blind-uncontrolled intersection is when a driver can’t see vehicles approaching the intersection (100 feet to the left or right)…..and….the intersection is without stop or yield signs.  Drivers approaching an uncontrolled-blind intersection are required to slow down to a maximum speed of 15 MPH because they don’t have a control and neither does the cross traffic.

A blind-controlled intersection is when a driver can’t see vehicles approaching the intersection (100 feet to the left or right)…….but….the cross traffic has a control (a stop or yield sign).  Most intersections on major roads are blind but they are also controlled. A driver without a stop or yield sign (example: a 2-way stop intersection) should not be slowing down for the cross traffic drivers who are facing a stop or yield sign.

The statement: Drivers should always slow down for a blind intersection is false……..because not all blind intersections are uncontrolled.

Nationwide, teenagers make up approximately 7% of the drivers on the road and account for approximately 14% of the accidents (20% of the fatalities).  Adults however make up 93% of the drivers on the road and account for 86% of the accidents (80% of the fatalities).  Teenagers have a higher accident rate for their numbers (80% of new drivers will be involved in a reportable accident in the first 3 years of driving) but laying the blame on teenage drivers as the “problem” is hypocritical.  After all, teenage drivers learn their driving skills primarily from adults…..the same adults that are responsible for 86% of the accidents in this country.

It is legal to make a U-Turn over a solid double line (except in a business district) only if the driver has a 200′ unobstructed view that no traffic is approaching.

It is not only legal, it is required.

The Basic Speed Law states that a driver may never drive faster than is safe determined by road, traffic, and weather conditions.

A pedestrian does not always have the right-of-way and must use due care for their own safety.

California Vehicle Code:

Pedestrians Outside Crosswalks

21954.  (a) Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate haard.z

(b) The provisions of this section shall not relieve the driver of a vehicle from the duty to exercise due care for the safety of any pedestrian upon a roadway.

Right-of-Way at Crosswalks

21950.  (a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(b) This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

(c) The driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of the vehicle or take any other action relating to the operation of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.

(d) Subdivision (b) does not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the safety of any pedestrian within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

When crossing a two-way street, the first lane of travel a vehicle will encounter is from traffic approaching from the left.  Vehicles approaching from the right are on the second half of the intersection (far side), a vehicle will not encounter this lane of travel until the driver crosses the mid-point of the intersection (exception: a One-Way street traveling right to left). Many drivers who have the bad habit of looking first to the right are often crashed into by the vehicle approaching from the left…..and then will claim, THE CAR CAME OUT OF NOWHERE! Cars don’t come out of nowhere, they first come from the left.

The same rules apply to pedestrians as with vehicles.  When crossing a two-way street, the first lane of travel a pedestrian will encounter is from traffic approaching from the left.  Vehicles approaching from the right are on the second half of the intersection (far side), a pedestrian will not encounter this lane of travel until they cross the mid-point of the intersection (exception: a One-Way street traveling right to left). Many pedestrians who have the bad habit of looking first to the right are often hit by the vehicle approaching from the left…..and then will claim, THE CAR CAME OUT OF NOWHERE! Cars don’t come out of nowhere, they first come from the left.

A driver making a left turn from a single left turn lane may end their left turn in any lane lawfully available to traffic moving in that direction.

Note:  A driver making a left turn from the left lane (of a multiple left turn lane) may end their turn only in the left lane.

Fear is usually caused by lack of knowledge. The fear of driving in heavy traffic will fade as the driver gains the knowledge of how to handle heavy traffic.  The most common cause of this fear is the driver’s inability to competently execute a proper lane change.

Fear is usually caused by lack of knowledge. The fear of driving on mountain roads will fade as the driver gains the knowledge of how to handle curvy roads.  The most common cause of this fear is the driver is failing to use their eyes properly, looking at the wrong places at the wrong time.

Fear is usually caused by lack of knowledge. The fear of driving on the freeway will fade as the driver gains the knowledge of how to handle freeway driving.  The most common cause of this fear is the driver’s inability to competently execute a proper lane change.

Fear is usually caused by lack of knowledge. The fear of driving at night will fade as the driver gains the knowledge of how to handle nighttime driving.  The most common cause of this fear is the driver is failing to use their eyes properly, looking at the wrong places at the wrong time.

Fear is usually caused by lack of knowledge. The fear of driving in inclement weather will fade as the driver gains the knowledge and practices driving in inclement weather.

This is an extremely important point.  Parents think that their new teen driver is starting out with a clean slate.  They’re not.  They’ve had 15 + years to observe and absorb what they now believe is the proper way to drive by watching parents.  If dad drives too fast, usually the teen does too.  If mom is afraid of driving at night, in the mountains or on the freeway, often the teen has the same fears.  Parents need to reassess their own driving, keeping the good driving skills while changing poor driving behaviors / skills before they burden their new teen driver with poor driving examples.

Parents need to step-up and provide good driver behavior examples for their new driver.  Too many parents espouse the “Hypocritic Driver’s Oath” which states, “Don’t drive as I do…..drive as I say”. 

As an expert instructor, I never take a client to a parking lot for their first time driving.  There are several dangerous driving habits that are quickly formed in a parking lot that will show up when the new driver gets out on the surface streets.  Excessive over-steering, wide turns, braking too much or not braking at all are just a few of the driving behaviors that are magnified by parking lot training and will have to be corrected. Learning how to properly train a new driver before putting them behind the wheel will save you both a lot of time and grief.

Raising your voice, screaming and yelling is a tell-tale sign that the parent driving instructor isn’t yet qualified to effectively train a new driver.  Imagine a golf instructor yelling and screaming at you when you hit a bad shot instead of training you how to hit a good shot.

This is one of the most dangerous driver training methods a Parent Driving Instructor can use when teaching a new driver.

This is one of the most dangerous driver training methods a Parent Driving Instructor can use when teaching a new driver.

This is another dangerous driver training method and should not be used when teaching a new driver.

Looking at the bumper (or the bottom of the rear tires) will often result in the new driver braking very late and / or coming to an abrupt stop.  Sometimes a new driver will completely fail to brake when their eyes are staring at the rear bumper of the stopped vehicle ahead.

Rotating the upper body very often results in the new driver drifting out of their lane and/or driving off the road, especially when on the freeway.

This very often results in the new driver cutting their turn too short (likely hitting the inside curb) while driving way too fast.

Driving in familiar areas can make a new student’s visual scanning pattern very lazy.  They know all of the traffic signs, bumps, and potholes because they’ve seen them so many times before, there’s no need to look around.  Most traffic accidents happen within a mile from a driver’s home partly because the driver is on “auto pilot” due to their lazy visual scanning pattern. Unfamiliar areas force the new driver into an active visual scanning pattern.

Many parents believe this is the primary role of a Parent Driving Instructor. This belief is one of the major reasons why parents have such a difficult time training their teenagers and why driving is the #1 killer of teenagers.