Driving is a relatively dangerous activity regardless of how safely one drives. Because driving is so dangerous, there are many rules that drivers must learn and apply whenever they take to the roadways. There are many rules of the road spelled out in Missouri state law. All drivers should know that a red light means stop and a green light means go, but not everyone remembers the finer points like how many feet one should maintain between cars or how much room is required to enter the lane in front of someone.
A very important rule that many people either ignore or don’t follow involves yielding to others. According to a recent Missouri State Highway Patrol report, more than 15 percent of collisions are caused by a driver who failed to yield. A failure to yield can result in a ticket of more than $100 for a first time offense.
In Missouri, the issue of who must yield depends on the situation. For example at an intersection the driver who arrives later yields the way to the driver in the intersection, but if two cars approach at once the driver on the left must yield the right of way to the driver on the right. In all situations, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians, but bicycles must follow the same rules as cars since they are considered vehicles. Even though bikes must follow the same rules as cars, a motor vehicle must yield the right of way to a bicycle when making a right hand turn.
Being a safe driver can be its own reward. Not following the proper procedures for something as common place as yielding can be all that is needed to support a claim of negligence in the event of a civil suit.