What is the best approach when turning onto a street with more than one turning lane?

When turning onto a street with multiple turning lanes, the best approach is to turn into the nearest lane that is allowed. This practice enhances safety and efficiency for several reasons.

First, turning into the nearest lane minimizes the distance you need to travel across lanes of traffic, reducing the potential for collisions with vehicles that may be in the adjacent lanes. It also helps maintain the flow of traffic, allowing other drivers behind you to proceed more smoothly without having to halt for an extended time while you maneuver into a farther lane.

Additionally, by turning into the closest lane, drivers can establish a clear and predictable path, which is essential for effective communication on the road. Other drivers can anticipate where you are going and adjust accordingly, which is particularly important in busy intersections with multiple lanes.

Turning into a more distant lane or the middle lane may complicate your maneuver and could create confusion for other drivers. There's also no need to wait for the next light to change unless the intersection is specifically designed to require such caution because of traffic or other regulations. Thus, choosing the nearest lane aligns with safe driving practices and facilitates smoother traffic movement.