IT’S not always easy to know when to pull out at a busy junction, especially if you’re dealing with traffic from all directions.
So it’s no surprise motorists are struggling to figure out which order cars should go when presented with this specific situation.
An intersection quiz question created by the Queensland Department of Roads and Traffic has sparked online debate between Australian motorists about which car should go first.
And the situation could easily present itself on British roads, too.
The scenario shows four cars – blue, red, orange and green – sitting at a four-way intersection.
One car is travelling straight through the junction, while the opposite vehicle has indicated to turn right.
Another motor has stopped at a give way sign to turn right, while the final car is at a stop sign to turn left.
So which car has the right of way?
According to IAM RoadSmart, the correct order is green, red, orange and blue.
The green vehicle has the right to pass through the junction first as it’s travelling straight along the road and isn’t facing any sign.
Both the orange and blue car will have to give way to the red car to allow it to safely turn right out of the busy intersection.
But this is where it gets slightly trickier.
The orange car is the next to go as it doesn’t need to cross a lane of traffic, with blue last to go because it’s turning right across the junction.
When two drivers face a stop or give way sign at the same time, the signs essentially cancel each other out – the stop sign isn’t more powerful than the give way sign.
If presented with this situation though, drivers must exercise caution when passing through the intersection and properly indicate what they intend to do.
Rebecca Ashton, head of behaviour at IAM RoadSmart, said: “At busy junctions it’s important to communicate with other drivers, by observing carefully and communicating we are able to anticipate their actions.
“Junctions are a high risk area so it is important to proceed with caution when dealing with them and be prepared to stop if necessary.
“If another drivers offers to let you out, always check the bigger picture and decide for yourself, you may have something else in your path that they have not noticed. In any situation where you are dealing with other drivers remember a thank you and a smile goes a long way.”
Earlier this year, we revealed which car has the right of way in another tricky four-way intersection scenario.
Drivers were also stumped by this confusing situation where two vehicles merge into the same lane.
