Traffic light with an additional section: driving rules, features

Not all traffic rules are equally clear to a novice driver. A lot of difficulties are caused by the rules for driving intersections with an additional traffic light section. We will analyze them both in general and on specific examples.

Traffic light with additional section

Traffic lights with additional sections must be distinguished from directional traffic lights. The arrows on the latter indicate a ban, permission to move on a particular lane or group of lanes. Each arrow is only responsible for driving in its own lane. An additional section at the traffic lights is responsible for turning from the main lane to the right or left. Such traffic lights are needed to unload busy intersections: they tell the driver when he can move on. For experienced car owners, such a device is an excellent assistant.

Driving rules depend on the combination of illuminated sections. We have a traffic light in front of us with round signal windows. At the green signal level, such a device has either one or two additional sections.

We are interested in three situations:

1. The sub window is turned off.
2. An additional window lights up with a green enable traffic light.
3. An additional window lights up with a red inhibit signal.

From traffic rules

Consider traffic rules that are important to us in this situation:

• Arrows of red, yellow, green colors are equivalent to the corresponding round sections. They are only responsible for movement in the directions indicated on them.
• An arrow showing a left turn allows you to make a U-turn, if this is not prohibited by a specific situation.
• If the green arrow is lit along with the red or yellow main signal, then when turning, you must give way to vehicles moving in priority of the vehicle.
• If the tram is moving on an arrow that allows traffic, when the main section is red or yellow, it must also give way to other traffic participants.

Additional section prohibits movement

We will begin to consider traffic rules with an additional section.

If the side window does not light up or glows red, then movement in the direction where the arrow indicated on it shows is prohibited! It doesn’t matter what color the main panel lights up, as well as which side the additional section shows. If it is turned off, then this is a sign prohibiting movement.

Additional green arrow and green signal

Here we have two states of affairs:

• Traffic light with one side arrow - right or left.
• Traffic light with two side arrows - both right and left.

The right arrow is responsible for turning to the right, the left, respectively, to the left.

There are two situations in which the traffic rules with an additional section to the right or left are not completely clear. They depend on the ability to turn in both directions. Let's take a closer look at each:

• The right additional arrow and the main enable signal are green . You are allowed to turn right. The road in this case needs to be ceded only to pedestrians who are moving along the roadway on which you are going to leave. But since the work of traffic lights for pedestrians and drivers is coordinated, then most likely, for them a prohibitive red light will light during your movement.
• The left additional arrow and the main inhibit signal are red . Now we will analyze the traffic rules with an additional "left" section. In this situation, you are allowed to turn left. Obstacles should not be on the way, you do not need to give way. In our right-hand drive state, the left side will be more unloading. Other participants in traffic on traffic do not have the right to go in the direction of your turn. But at the same time, remember the exception - if the vehicle moves straight ahead or to the right along the “oncoming line”, you must give way to it.

Extra green arrow and red light

If you see in front of you a burning green additional arrow to the right or left, but the traffic light is red, then this means one thing: you can make a turn in the specified control, but at the same time give way to traffic participants following other directions.

According to the traffic rules, the rules for driving an additional section of the traffic light are as follows:

• Give way (do not interfere with traffic). This means that you should not start, continue or resume driving, if for this you need drivers of other vehicles to slow down or change their direction. In other words, if as a result of your maneuver someone was forced to slow down, change the trajectory of the movement of your car, then you violated the SDA item.
• The rules do not stipulate that you should provide a free way approaching from where exactly the vehicle is coming - to the right, left, from the oncoming lane. Therefore, the green additional section and the red signal are most easily regarded as the “Give way” sign (2.4).

This situation is regulated by clause 13.5 of the SDA.

The combination of the green additional section and the main red signal shows you only the possibility of movement in this direction. The priority right of way here is not with you, but with that driver, in front of whom two green signals are lit - an additional and a main one.

Traffic light with additional section: straight ahead

Directly moving, seeing a traffic light in front of you with additional arrows, it is possible:

• If the main green light is on.
• If the main green signal is on and an additional arrow lights up in green with it.

In the case when the main signal is red prohibiting, and the arrow glows green, you naturally cannot move. These are the simple rules for driving straight to the traffic light with an additional section.

Additional section without drawing an arrow

The traffic rules with an additional section do not always describe the following situation: lateral windows are installed on the current device, but the arrows on them do not glow. What to do in this case?

So, you approach the intersection, the main green light comes on, and the side section is inactive at that time (i.e. it does not glow with either red or green light). In this case, you just calmly perform the maneuver you need.

Traffic Police Mistakes

Many novice drivers who are thoroughly unfamiliar with the rules for driving to the traffic lights with an additional section, become victims of unscrupulous road inspectors.

A typical situation is as follows: a traffic light with an additional section is installed at the intersection. But the window is “wrong" - it also glows in red and green, but there is no contour arrow on it indicating which direction the movement is allowed. The driver, seeing that the main light is green, decides that a turn is now possible, and is in a hurry to make a maneuver, not paying attention to an incomprehensible additional window. At that moment, he was stopped by the inspectors of the road service.

The accusation is as follows: driving to a prohibiting traffic signal. But at this moment the traffic policeman will be wrong - demand a protocol. Since only traffic lights are mandatory for the driver with an additional section with a contour arrow indicating which direction the traffic is prohibited or permitted in the intersection. "Wrong" sections, burning with solid light, he should not unravel.

Traffic lights with a green arrow

In continuation of the topic, we cannot but consider another kind of traffic lights that have appeared recently. This is a usual three-color device, where at the level of the prohibiting red section a sign is attached with a graphically depicted green arrow. This innovation is regulated by clause 20.1 and clause 58.4 of the SDA.

Let's consider them in more detail:

• At the level of the red signal, a plate with a green arrow to the right . In this case, you need to stop the machine with a prohibiting red signal. Then you are allowed, making sure the maneuver is safe, carefully continue moving in the direction of the arrow. You can only move from the rightmost lane, without creating obstacles for other vehicles, whose movement in this case is a priority. Skip ahead of the maneuver of all pedestrians going to the enable signal.
• At the red signal level, a plate with a green arrow to the left (one-way traffic). You should also stop the vehicle before turning on the red signal, and then, observing safety precautions, it is possible to make a maneuver to the left. Movement is possible only after a stop and only from the far left lane. Before the maneuver, it is necessary to skip pedestrians and other vehicles whose traffic is now a priority.

Here we have analyzed all the features and nuances of traffic at a traffic light with additional sections. Such devices do not impede, but rather facilitate movement, only at first causing confusion in the driver’s head.