ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated.
News 6 viewer Connie asked, “When cars travel in a right turn-only lane are they required to turn right?“
The short answer is yes.
“If you’re traveling and you find yourself in a travel lane that you don’t want to be in -- but changing lanes would be illegal and somewhat dangerous -- my advice is always go with the flow,” Trooper Steve said. “We see this so often that a driver realizes too late that the direction they’re going is not the one they intended. Then they stop in the travel lane, put on the turn signal and simply hold up traffic until a spot opens."
When it comes to traffic, Trooper Steve said a driver’s problem should not become everyone else’s issue.
“How do we fix this? Go with the flow. If you find yourself in a travel lane that indicates right lane must turn right, then turn right,” he said. “If that’s not the direction you wanted to go, correct yourself after you’ve made the initial movement. This keeps traffic moving and prevents you from getting a ticket or causing a crash."
Stopping in a travel lane can prompt a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic, according to Trooper Steve. And once you’re in a travel lane, failure to turn right with a traffic sign posted could cause a separate ticket.
“Follow the rules, pay attention and maybe we can ultimately fix this traffic mess,” Trooper Steve said.