Left turn on green · clearing on the light change
Traffic lights · Left turn · Alberta Class 5 road test
Wait in the intersection until the light changes; once oncoming traffic stops, clear the intersection
Watch the interactive demoHow to drive it
Left turn on green (unprotected): wait in the intersection for oncoming through traffic until the light turns yellow + the last car runs the yellow, the next one stops + your car clears the intersection without hesitating + the two cross-traffic cars get their green and let you out of the intersection first
In the correct demo, you yield to:
- Oncoming vehicle going straight — Left turn on green (unprotected): yield to oncoming traffic going straight. A left turn on a plain green has no protected right-of-way; cutting in front of oncoming traffic causes a head-on collision, and you would be fully at fault.
Common mistakes
Afraid to clear the intersection after the light changed
Road test: automatic fail — L9 Obstructs traffic
Nothing was hit this time, but it's still an automatic fail. Waiting in the intersection to turn left, when the light changes and oncoming traffic stops, clear the intersection without hesitating; not clearing it blocks the intersection, and cross traffic gets its green but can't move, left to wait at the stop line and honk.
Watch this mistake →Related scenarios
- Left turn on a green arrowProtected left turn; the oncoming car turns left at the same time
- Left turn on greenUnprotected left turn: wait in the intersection for oncoming traffic