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## driving tip 

Did you know that, in ideal conditions, it takes most vehicles stopped at an intersection about: 

• two seconds per lane to go straight across 

• five seconds to turn right and get up to 50 km/h 

• seven seconds to turn left and get up to 50 km/h (allow extra time if you need to cross several lanes). 

Remember to add an extra two seconds for safety. 

The driver of the blue car and the driver of the station wagon may have a problem if either of them moves out of correct lane position when they are turning. In this situation, time your turn so you won’t have a space conflict with the other driver. If there’s any doubt about who should go first, the driver making the left turn should yield. 

## Choosing a safe gap 

## You in the driver’s seat 

You’re waiting at a stop sign. The traffic seems endless. Just when you think it’s safe to cross the intersection, another car comes into view. 

What would you do? 

The space you need to get across an intersection safely or to merge into a line of traffic is called a gap. Deciding on whether a gap is big enough to be safe isn’t always easy. You need to consider several things: 

• the speed of the traffic 

• the time it will take to do your manoeuvre 

• the time it will take your vehicle to accelerate to the speed of the traffic flow. 

Be careful not to underestimate the speed of approaching motorcycles or bicycles. They are often travelling much faster than they appear to be. 

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