YieldGoCarMotorcycleCDL
  • First to stop goes first
  • A tie? The car on the right goes
  • Turning left? Oncoming traffic goes
  • In the circle? You keep going

The idea behind every rule

Right-of-way is something drivers give, never something they own. The rules say who has to wait, but they never let anyone drive into a crash. That is why a test answer like "go, it's my turn" is wrong whenever someone is still in the way: the safe choice always wins.

Seven everyday situations

Each one shows you in teal and other road users in amber.

  1. You

    1 A tie at a four-way stop

    You and a pickup both reach a four-way stop and stop together. The pickup is on your right.

    What to do: The pickup goes first, then you.

    Why: When two drivers stop together, the one on the left waits. Everyone uses the same order, so nobody has to guess.

  2. You

    2 Turning left on a green light

    Your light is green, with no arrow, and you want to turn left. A car is coming toward you, going straight.

    What to do: Wait for it to pass, then turn when the gap is safe.

    Why: A left turn cuts across oncoming traffic, so the turning driver gives way. Green means you may go when it is safe, not that you go first.

  3. You

    3 Coming into a roundabout

    You reach a roundabout. A car is already going around and is coming toward you from the left.

    What to do: Wait at the yield line for a gap, then enter and go around to the right.

    Why: Cars already in the circle have priority. Once you are in, you keep moving and the cars waiting outside wait for you.

  4. You

    4 Two roads, no signs at all

    Two roads meet with no signs or lights. You and another car arrive at about the same time, and it is on your right.

    What to do: Slow down and let the car on your right go first.

    Why: It is the same tie rule as at a four-way stop. A car already in the middle of the intersection goes first, whichever side it came from.

  5. You

    5 Pulling out of a driveway

    You are leaving a driveway. Someone is walking along the sidewalk and a car is coming down the street.

    What to do: Stop before the sidewalk, let the person walk by, then wait for the car to pass.

    Why: Coming from a driveway, parking lot or private road, you wait for everyone already on the sidewalk and the street.

  6. You

    6 A siren behind you

    You hear a siren and see flashing lights: an ambulance is coming up behind you on a two-lane road.

    What to do: Pull over as far right as you safely can and wait there until it has gone by.

    Why: Emergency vehicles always go first. If you are in an intersection when it comes, drive through before you pull over, so you do not block it.

  7. You

    7 Turning right past someone crossing

    You are turning right on a green light. Someone is crossing the street you are turning into.

    What to do: Stop and let them finish crossing before you turn.

    Why: A person in a crosswalk comes first, whether or not lines are painted. Drivers turning across a crosswalk wait.

Answers that trip people up

  • "My light is green, so I go first."Green lets you go when it is safe. Turning drivers still wait for oncoming cars and people crossing.
  • "The bigger vehicle goes first."Size never decides. The rules are the same for a truck and a scooter.
  • "They waved me on, so it's safe."A wave is kind, not a guarantee. Check every lane yourself before you move.
  • "I signaled, so they have to let me in."A signal shows what you plan to do. It does not give you the right to do it.

Check yourself

1. At a four-way stop you stop first. A second later another car stops on your right. Who goes first?

2. You are already driving around a roundabout and a car is waiting to come in. What do you do?

Practice right-of-way for your state

Pick your state: its right-of-way practice is written from that state's handbook and shows where each rule is printed.