Priority to the right

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Priority to the right is a right-of-way system, in which a driver of a vehicle shall give way to vehicles approaching from the right at intersections. The system is stipulated in Article 18.4.a of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic for countries where traffic keeps to the right and applies to all intersections where it is not overridden by priority signs (uncontrolled intersections), including side roads and roundabouts (but not paths or earth-tracks).

Contents 1 Usage 2 Signage 3 Advantages and disadvantages 3.1 Advantages 3.2 Disadvantages 4 References

[edit] Usage

The system is widely used in countries with right-hand traffic, including most European countries.

What varies, however, is the extent to which uncontrolled intersections do exist at all. In some countries, virtually all roads are controlled with priority signs or traffic lights, while others, such as France, even apply the system on intersections with heavy traffic such as the Place de l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe.

A notable exception is the United States, which does not use the system consistently as the rules of the road vary from state to state. While many states such as Colorado^[1] or Utah^[2] more or less use the system (they do not post priority road signs), others do not. For example, California^[3] and Tennessee^[4] only uses the priority to the right system at four-way crossroads, while traffic on the through road has priority at T-intersections. However, uncontrolled crossings are rare in the USA and often, four-way stops are used instead.

Australia, where one drives on the left hand side, uses priority to the right on four-way intersections but not for T-intersections.^[5]. Priority roads are unsigned.

[edit] Signage

Intersections to which priorty to the right applies are usually not equipped with signage or road markings. Priority signs override the priority to the right rule and are often used on roads with heavier traffic. However, if an intersection is not easily visible, a warning sign (usually a white or yellow triangle with red border and a cross symbol) may be erected. This sign does not regulate priority but just warns of an intersection.

As under the priority to the right system, no road has priority without signage, there need to be signs giving priority at controlled intersections.

intersection ahead (This is not a priority sign but a warning sign. However, it is only used at intersections where priority to the right applies.)

priority at next intersection (This is not a warning sign but a priority sign. It is the only non-warning sign using a white or yellow triangle with a red border.)

priority road (priority at all following uncontrolled intersections up to an end of priority road, yield or stop sign)

end of priority road (priority to the right applies at uncontrolled intersections)

[edit] Advantages and disadvantages

[edit] Advantages

• Beging mandated by the Vienna Convention, it is used in the vast majority of countries. Therefore, drivers are usually accustomed to the system.
• The system requires no traffic signs or road markings, saving cost and minimising visual clutter.
• It slows traffic, which is often intended in residential areas.
• In countries where traffic keeps to the right, watching traffic from the right is more easy than watching traffic from the left.
• The system is consistent when intersections get larger: When turning left, giving way to oncoming traffic is the same as giving way to traffic from the right after crossing a central reservation.
• The system continues to work if roads (and thus, road markings) are covered by snow. This is not the case for systems where road markings are used to indicate priority (e. g. in the UK).

[edit] Disadvantages

• There is no visible indication (such as road signs or markings) indicating that one has to give priority. This not only means that intersections can be overlooked but also that less experienced drivers have less guidance. It also makes it hard to adapt for drivers from countries where the system is not known or hardly used, especially the British Isles and North America.
• The system is counter-intuitive on T-intersections, where common sense would dictate priority for traffic on the through road. Without extra signage, traffic in a roundabout has to give way to traffic entering the roundabout.
• The system can result in deadlocks on four-way intersections when four vehicles arrive at nearly the same time.
• Priority roads need extra signage indicating priority. Without these signs, even traffic on major roads would have to prepare to give way to traffic from all roads to the right, no matter how small they are.

[edit] References

1. ^ Colorado Department of Revenue. Colorado Driver Handbook, 14. Retrieved on October 10, 2006. 
2. ^ State of Utah, Dept. of Public Safety. Utah Drivers Handbook, 21. Retrieved on October 10, 2006. 
3. ^ Department of Motor Vehicles. "Right of Way Rules", California Driver Handbook, 16-17. Retrieved on October 10, 2006. 
4. ^ Tennessee Department of Safety (2006). Tennessee Driver Handbook, 59-60. Retrieved on October 10, 2006. 
5. ^ National Road Transport Commission (1999-10-19). "Rule 72, 73", Australian Road Rules. ISBN 0-7240-8874-1.