Who should give way? Road rules quiz leaves drivers baffled
A road rules quiz asking whether a pedestrian should give way to a car turning into a driveway has left social media users confused.
Posted on Facebook by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads on Monday, the question came complete with a diagram that showed a pedestrian on a footpath next to a driveway.
A car waiting to turn right into the driveway would have to cross a single, unbroken line.
“With an increase in children walking to and from school who gives way? The orange car, or the pedestrian walking on the path?” the transport body asked.
While the department revealed cars must give way to pedestrians on the footpath or the road, answers by Facebook users varied significantly.
Many believed that car would have right of way.
But others said the car should be permitted to cross the unbroken line.
“I always thought you couldn’t turn into a driveway over a solid white line,” said one person.
“You can’t cross on a solid line,” said another.
To which the department replied: “You can cross a single continuous centre line to enter or leave a road, including entering or leaving a property and to safely pass a bike rider.
“You can cross a single continuous centre line to overtake or to do a U-turn.”
Another person said “laws of commonsense”, saying the pedestrian would have the right of way.
“By laws of commonsense the pedestrian has the right of way here, he maybe blind, or have any other incapacities, but the driver should by law be ok, seems strange to needs ask the question,” they wrote.
“You’d be surprised,” wrote the transport body.
They also revealed that vehicles must give way because cars provide the driver with a lot more protection when compared to a pedestrian.
“A minor collision could cause serious injury or death.”