TRAVELING SAFELY THROUGH INTERSECTIONS (交差点の通り方)

更新日:

2023年07月25日

Traveling Safely Through Intersections


Some important points to consider

Accidents are most common in and around intersections. When entering or passing through an intersection, drive defensively and exercise extra caution with the traffic around you, particularly regarding pedestrians and vehicles turning right. When turning right, beware of motorcycles passing the intersection from the opposite direction as they may be blocked from your view by other vehicles.

How to pass correctly through intersections

1) Before turning into or passing a road that has the 'right of way' or a wider road, slow down and don't interfere with the movement of vehicles or streetcars on that road.

2) Before making a right turn at an intersection, move toward the center line of the road in advance and turn slowly just behind the center of the intersection. This rule doesn't apply to mopeds (motorized bicycle) when they must turn right by crossing the road first, and then turning.

3) If road signs indicate that the driver may move only in a certain direction at an intersections, such as "straight only" or "right turn only", the driver must follow the signs.

4) When the traffic in front of you is moving slowly or not at all, don't enter an intersection - even on a green light - if you think you might get trapped there when the light changes and obstruct the passage of traffic from your left and right. The same rule also applies to areas with "no-stopping" pavement markings in front of police and fire stations, pedestrian crosswalks, railroad crossings, and bicycle crossing zones.

Passing through an intersection with no traffic light

1) Before turning into or passing a road that has the 'right of way' or a wider road, slow down and don't interfere with the movement of vehicles or streetcars on that road.

2) When passing an intersection in which the intersecting roads are of the same width, you must give way to street cars and vehicles coming from your left.

3) You must stop behind the stopping line (or behind the intersection) at an intersection that has the "Stop"sign, and give way to streetcars or vehicles which are passing the intersecting road. The same rule applies to intersections that have a blinking red light.

4) You may enter with caution an intersection that has a blinking yellow light.