“It’s my turn!”
“No, it’s my turn!!”
“I was here first!!!”
“No, I was here first!!!!”
“Get out of my way!!!!!”
“No, you’re in my way!!!!!!”
“I’m right!!!!!!!!”
“No, I’m right!!!!!!!!”
“You’re wrong!!!!!!!!!”
“No, you’re wrong!!!!!!!!!”
Sounds like a sibling argument playing itself out in households throughout Florida every day. However, it’s actually the constant traffic battle being played out on Florida’s streets and roads between competing motorists and pedestrians every day at intersections and crossroads. Florida traffic statutes (Florida traffic laws) determine whose turn it is (i.e., who has the right-of-way and who has to yield) even if someone wasn’t “first” and both vehicles arrived at the same time.
Who has the right-of-way – and who has to yield– is determined by applying Florida traffic laws to the never-ending variety of traffic situations unfolding on Florida roadways. Florida traffic rules determine whose turn it is to go, to stop, to move, to get out of the way, to go through an intersection, to make a left hand or right hand turn, to go straight, and to get off the road.
Basically, yielding the right-of-way means you need to make way, make room or get out of the way until it’s your turn. If you’re in the way when it’s not your turn, you can get a traffic ticket for failure to yield the right-of-way. If you’re not in the right legally, you’re in the wrong legally and might get a Florida Uniform Traffic Citation for violating the right-of-way.
Knowing when you are required to yield the right-of-way is not always clear in practice. In real life situations where Florida car drivers, truck drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians encounter each other on Florida streets, roads and interstates, Florida motorists and pedestrians are often confused as to who should go first. Other times, the drivers and pedestrians know exactly who has the right-of-way and ignore it, illegally – not to mention rudely – fail to yield the right-of-way. Then, other times, drivers and pedestrians are distracted and do not realize they have violated the right-of-way in a situation where they should have yielded the right-of-way. That is until that failure to yield the right-of-way results in an accident, a collision, or a crash; then everyone realizes there was a violation of the right-of-way.
