The driver crossing the intersection straight

Explanation

You must give way to the tram.

The light on the right is green and you are going straight through the junction. From the opposite direction the red-and-white tram and a white passenger car have both signalled and want to turn. Instinct says "I am going straight, so both must give way to me"; but as regards the tram that instinct is wrong.

The rule is: when the light permits the tram and the non-rail vehicles to move at the same time, the tram takes precedence, regardless of its direction of travel. That is, even a tram that comes from the opposite direction and turns left takes precedence over you going straight. But the white car is an ordinary vehicle and, in order to turn left, must give way to vehicles coming straight from the opposite direction; so it stays behind you.

The safety reason for this exception is physics. A tram runs on a fixed rail, cannot steer or pull aside, weighs tens of tonnes and has a braking distance several times a passenger car's. The only way to prevent a collision is for others always to adapt to the tram, not the reverse. Besides, a tram usually carries several dozen standing passengers who are injured under heavy braking.

Worth memorising: in this question two vehicles have signalled at the same time, and that very pairing is the trap. The correct comparison is "rail versus non-rail", not "straight versus turning".

• This is built on the correct rule "straight takes precedence over turning", but that rule is set aside against a tram; a tram takes precedence regardless of its direction of travel. • This treats the white car as taking precedence too, whereas in order to turn left it must give way to you coming straight from the opposite direction.

Sources and content coverage · Report a content error