Right Turn, Wrong Lane

Q: Say you have an intersection of two-lane roads (one lane in each direction) and a breakdown lane large enough to accommodate a car. When making a right turn, should the breakdown lane be used for that turn? I say no, it is not a travel lane. Everyone else tells me to use it to turn because it allows the traffic behind me to keep going. What say you or the rules of the road?

A: Well, what I say doesn’t matter unless it’s consistent with the rules of the road, so let’s dig into traffic law and see what we can conclude. Before we do though, I haven’t heard of the shoulder of the road called a breakdown lane, but I like it. Implicit in that name is the idea that it’s not intended for driving. And now I’ve already given away the answer, haven’t I?

I appreciate that the people telling you to use the shoulder to make a right turn want to improve traffic flow, but their advice isn’t lawful, and I think their logic is mostly flawed, too. Plus, it creates a potential conflict when mixed with drivers that are following the law.

Let’s start with the basics: When a roadway has clearly marked lanes, the law requires drivers to stay “as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane” and only move from the lane if it can be done safely. The “roadway” is the part of the highway that is designed and used for vehicle travel, and it doesn’t include sidewalks or shoulders. Simply, it’s the space between the fog lines.

How we define “roadway” matters, because the law called “Driving with wheels off roadway” states that it’s unlawful to drive with wheels off the roadway. The only exceptions are for pulling off the road to stop, and in zones specifically marked for shoulder driving so that slow-moving vehicles can move over and allow other vehicles to pass. There’s no exception for improving traffic flow (or if we’re being honest, being too impatient to wait our turn.)

Initially I had a tough time imagining a scenario where other drivers gain much benefit from right-turners using the shoulder. Compared to going straight or turning left, drivers turning right have fewer potential conflicts and delays from other drivers. Mostly it seems to be a time-saver for right-turners themselves. By using the shoulder, they wouldn’t have to wait behind a driver at a red light planning to go straight, or a left-turning driver at a green light looking for a gap in oncoming traffic.

However, I did think of one: if a pedestrian is crossing the street where the right-turner plans to go, that would create a delay for the cars behind them wanting to go straight. But is that so bad, really? Delays are a normal part of driving; they’re built into the system. We take turns at stop signs, we wait at red lights, we allow pedestrians to cross streets. The real issue might be that we have unrealist expectations about driving, especially when it impacts us personally, however slight.

And there are risks to using the shoulder as a turn lane. It creates a conflict point when a driver following the law also turns right. Now you have two lanes (one real and one imagined) turning into one lane. The driver lawfully making the turn may not expect the other driver and, surprise, you have a collision. As I’ve said before, predictability is a fundamental part of safe driving, and the best way to be predictable is to follow the law.