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Who has the right of way when you turn left in Texas?

A blue car waits in an intersection to turn left while a white car approaches from the opposite direction on a road with a double yellow center line.

You want to turn left at an intersection. An oncoming car is close enough that you would cut it off. What must you do?

Answer choices

The answer

Yield. A driver turning left at an intersection, or into an alley, private road or driveway, must yield to an oncoming vehicle in the intersection or so close that it is an immediate hazard.

Signaling does not give you the right of way. The statute puts the yield duty on the left-turning driver.

This section lists no other exceptions.

Exceptions

  • The section lists no exceptions beyond the hazard test: oncoming vehicles far enough away not to be an immediate hazard do not require you to wait.

Why this rule matters for safety

Left turns cross the path of oncoming traffic and are among the most common intersection conflicts. Waiting for a clear gap keeps both cars out of a collision.

Official sources

Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the Texas agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.

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