Tags show the kind of rule and whether it’s a written-test point or matters on the drive test (our tagging). Each rule links to its official source.
Most crashes happen at intersections when a driver turns, and many happen in large parking lots like those at shopping centers. Knowing right-of-way and correct turns prevents them.
Safety advice NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Approaching an intersection, yield to any vehicle already in it. Even on a green, let a car that is already turning left finish its turn before you enter.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1140
Turning left when an oncoming driver arrives at about the same moment? You yield: traffic going straight or turning right goes first, green light or not.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1141
On a green with no one ahead of you waiting to turn left, you may pull into the intersection, keep right of the center line, and turn once oncoming traffic clears or stops for a red.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Turning left into a driveway, parking lot or similar area, you must still yield to oncoming traffic, even if no sign or signal controls the turn.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1141
On any left turn, yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard. Judging what is too close takes experience, so if you have any doubt, wait for it to pass.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1141
With no signs or signals, or when drivers on crossing roads both stop at STOP signs together, the driver on the left lets the driver on the right go first.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1140
Coming out of a driveway, alley, private road or parking lot, stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians. To turn left out of it, yield to traffic from both directions.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1143
Yield to pedestrians in any crosswalk, marked or unmarked, slowing or stopping if needed. If someone steps in while you wait at a red, let them finish crossing even after your light turns green.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Before you turn, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalks on your left or right, and always take care not to hit pedestrians or cyclists.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Even on a green, don’t enter an intersection if backed-up traffic on the far side would leave you stuck in it. Don’t block cross streets or offset intersections and cause gridlock.
Law Written test · Drive test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Entering a traffic circle or rotary, yield to drivers already in the circle.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Yield to fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and other emergency vehicles responding to a call: they show flashing red, red-and-white or red-and-blue lights and may sound a siren or air horn, though police may respond silently.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1144
An emergency vehicle coming from any direction, even in the oncoming lane of a two-way road, means pull to the right edge and stop until it passes. Already in an intersection? Clear it first.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1144
Can’t tell where a nearby siren or air horn is coming from? Pull to the right edge and stop until you’re sure the vehicle isn’t heading your way.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
On a call, emergency vehicles may lawfully speed, go through a red light, STOP sign or YIELD sign, drive against one-way traffic and turn where others can’t, so take extra care around them.
Safety advice Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
New York law (VTL §1217): don’t follow a fire vehicle showing its emergency lights closer than 200 feet in its lane or the next one, and don’t drive into or park in the block where it has stopped for a fire alarm (within 1,000 feet where there are no blocks). The driver’s manual doesn’t mention this rule.
California differs: California bans following any emergency vehicle that has its siren or lights on within 300 feet. New York’s law sets 200 feet behind a fire vehicle; its manual gives no distance. California rule
Law NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1217
Move Over law: on any road, slow down and take care around an emergency or hazard vehicle (tow truck, snowplow) stopped on the shoulder or road with red, amber or amber-and-blue lights on.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1144-A
On parkways, interstates and other controlled-access highways with several lanes, you must also move out of the lane next to such a stopped vehicle, unless traffic or another hazard makes that unsafe.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1144-A
Move Over also applies to vehicles showing blue or green lights and to any vehicle stopped on a parkway or controlled-access highway, on the shoulder or in a lane. A violation counts as a moving violation.
California differs: California’s 2026 update extends Move Over to more stopped vehicles; DMV names marked highway maintenance vehicles and those with flashing hazard lights or another warning device. New York’s extends it to any vehicle stopped on a parkway or controlled-access highway, plus cars with blue or green lights. California rule
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1144-A
A blue light on a private car marks a volunteer firefighter going to an alarm; green marks a volunteer ambulance or rescue member. They aren’t emergency vehicles: yield only as a courtesy, when safe.
California differs: California’s handbook has no blue- or green-light volunteer cars. New York’s manual says you don’t have to yield to them, though you must move over when they’re stopped.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
Amber lights mark hazard vehicles like snowplows and tow trucks (tow trucks may add rear blue lights); rural mail carriers and school buses flash amber too. Their drivers must still obey all traffic laws.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 5: Intersections and Turns
A modern roundabout is a circular intersection where traffic travels counterclockwise around a central island and entering vehicles must yield.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Approaching a roundabout, slow down, follow the lane signs to pick your lane on a multi-lane approach, and let pedestrians in the crosswalk go first.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Look left: traffic already circling has the right-of-way. Wait at the yield line for a big enough gap, and if a car is waiting ahead of you, stop behind the crosswalk, not on it.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Roundabouts are designed to keep every vehicle at 30 mph or less inside the circle.
Safety advice Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Bicyclists may ride in the travel lane through a roundabout like any other vehicle. Don’t pass a bicycle inside the roundabout.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Once inside, you have the right-of-way. Go counterclockwise to your exit, turn on your right signal as you approach it, and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk as you leave.
Law Written test NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving
Pedestrians at a roundabout use marked crosswalks only, cross one direction of traffic at a time with a pause on the splitter island, and never cross to the central island. Cyclists may circulate like a car or walk the bike across as pedestrians.
Law NY Driver’s Manual, ch. 8: Defensive Driving