Arizona Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road
Core Concepts
Arizona's traffic code sets the baseline an instructor must model and teach: basic speed law (never faster than is reasonable and prudent for conditions), posted limits, right-of-way at uncontrolled intersections (yield to the vehicle on your right), and the requirement to yield when entering a roadway from a driveway, alley, or private road. Signal at least 100 feet before a turn. Follow at a safe distance and obey the move-over law: on a multi-lane road, move one lane away from stopped emergency or highway-maintenance vehicles with flashing lights; if you cannot move over safely, slow down. Passing on the right is allowed only in specific circumstances such as when the vehicle ahead is turning left. Stop for school buses with flashing red lights on undivided roads, and know the divided-highway exception.
Common Traps
Questions love absolutes. "Always" and "never" answers are usually wrong when conditions matter - the basic speed law overrides a posted limit. Watch for the difference between a posted maximum and a safe speed for rain, dust storms, or darkness. Right-of-way questions often hinge on who arrived first or who is on the right, not on who is bigger or faster. Distinguish yielding (giving up the right-of-way) from having the right-of-way, which is something you never “have” absolutely - you yield it to avoid a crash.
Rule of Thumb
When two vehicles reach an uncontrolled intersection at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Teach students the “first to arrive, first to go; tie goes to the right” chant, then test it with scenarios where arrival times are equal but one driver is turning left - the left-turning driver yields to oncoming traffic going straight or right.