A 'Priority Road' means 'priority,' not 'invincibility.' The pitfalls of accidents caused by misunderstandings

When driving through an intersection, if your road has a center line or you feel you have 'priority,' you tend to pass through without easing off the accelerator, don't you?
However, 'priority' in traffic rules is by no means a 'right to do whatever you want.' This time, I will talk about the 'truth of priority roads,' which is scary because it seems so well understood.

1. To begin with, which one is the 'priority road'?

Let's review the basics. There are mainly three points to judge which one has priority.
• There is a sign: A road with a 'Priority Road' sign, which is a white arrow on a blue background.
• The center line continues: A road where the center line or the boundary line of the vehicle lane is drawn without interruption even inside the intersection.
• The road is clearly wider: Even if there are no signs, if the road width is clearly wider than the intersecting road, the wider one has priority.

Vehicles on the non-priority side have an obligation to 'slow down' or 'stop temporarily' and not obstruct the progress of vehicles passing through the priority road.

2. The biggest misunderstanding: 'Because I am on the priority side, I have the right to decide'

This is the point I want to convey most this time.
I often hear people say, 'I was driving on a priority road, so it's 100% the fault of the other person who jumped out,' but that is not necessarily the case.

'Priority' is not a 'traffic permit that exempts you from checking for safety.'

Under the Road Traffic Act, the side driving on the priority road is also obligated to 'pay attention to vehicles, etc., entering from the intersecting road and must proceed at a safe speed and in a safe manner' (Article 36, Paragraph 4).
If an accident occurs, it is rare for the negligence ratio to be '0:100.' There are many cases where even the priority side is held responsible for '10% to 20%' of the negligence. In other words, even if you are on the priority side, you cannot abandon the responsibility to prevent accidents.

3. Tips for not discarding the 'what if' mindset

These are 'other' points to keep in the corner of your mind when driving on a priority road.
• Overconfidence that 'the other party will stop': The other party might ignore the temporary stop. They might be distracted by their smartphone. The priority side needs the perspective that 'they might not stop.'

Summary: Priority exists for the sake of 'leeway'

The reason there are priority rules is to prevent confusion on the road and create a smooth flow. It is by no means meant to decide who is 'superior.'
When driving on a priority road, it is precisely the time to be considerate of those around you with a humble feeling that 'I am being allowed to go.' That 'peace of mind' is very important.

Change that one press of the accelerator saying 'I have priority' into a stance of braking 'just in case.' That split-second decision will keep you away from accidents.