Right of way, turns and intersections in Saskatchewan

By the end of this topic you can

• You can decide who goes first at uncontrolled intersections and stop signs.
• You can turn left and right using the correct lane and checks.
• You can turn on a red light only where it is allowed.
• You can enter, drive in and leave a roundabout correctly.
• You can stop in the right place when there is no stop line.

What you need to know and understand

• At an uncontrolled intersection, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. This includes T-intersections.
• When turning left, yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be affected.
• Yield to all traffic on a provincial highway when entering it from another road.
• At three- and four-way stops, the first vehicle to stop goes first. Others yield to the vehicle on their right.
• Traffic entering a roundabout yields to traffic already in it.
• With no stop line or crosswalk, stop within 3 metres of the intersection in a community, or within 10 metres in a rural area.
• You may not make a U-turn at a signalized intersection unless a sign allows it.

Who goes first

• Uncontrolled intersection: yield to the vehicle on your right.
• Yield sign: yield to any traffic approaching the intersection.
• Two-way stop: stay stopped until all cross traffic has passed.
• Opposite stop signs: a driver turning left yields to a driver going straight.
• Leaving a lane, alley or private road: yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk and all traffic on the road.
• Highway construction or maintenance vehicles with warning lights flashing: always yield.

Turning step by step

At a red light, you may turn right after a full stop and yielding to pedestrians and traffic, unless a sign prohibits it. A left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after stopping and yielding. Where a centre two-way left turn lane exists, use it for left turns only, never as a passing or driving lane.

1. Plan early. Signal, check your mirror and shoulder check before moving into position.
2. For a right turn, move as close to the right curb as you safely can. For a left turn, use the left-most lane available for your direction.
3. Scan left, ahead, right and left again for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
4. Slow down and check again. Watch closely for oncoming motorcycles before a left turn.
5. If you must wait in the intersection to turn left, keep your wheels straight so a rear-end crash will not push you into oncoming traffic.
6. Complete the turn into the first available lane.

Roundabouts and newer interchanges

In a roundabout, entering traffic yields to traffic already circulating. Signal right before you exit. In a two-lane roundabout, the right lane is mainly for taking the first exit, and if you are going beyond the second exit you should use the left lane. At a restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT) on a divided highway, you cannot cross or turn left directly. You turn right, move to the U-turn lane, make the U-turn, then continue. Diverging diamond interchanges briefly move you to the opposite side of the road, so follow lane signs and markings. Our guide to Saskatchewan roundabouts, diverging diamonds and RCUTs has diagrams.

Pedestrians and zipper merges

Yield to pedestrians crossing at intersections, including people using wheelchairs and medical scooters, and never pass a vehicle stopped to let them cross. In construction zones with a lane closure, use both lanes until the merge point, then take turns in zipper fashion.

Common mistakes

• Treating right of way as something to insist on. Yield whenever needed to avoid a collision.
• Turning the wheels left while waiting to turn left.
• Turning right on red without coming to a full stop first.
• Using the right lane of a roundabout to go past the second exit.

Test yourself: Right of way, turns and intersections in Saskatchewan

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Saskatchewan Roundabout Rules, Diverging Diamonds and RCUTs
• Saskatchewan Traffic Lights
• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in Saskatchewan