Right of Way Rules Every New Driver Should Know

Who has the right of way at a four way stop? The driver who stopped first goes first, and if two drivers stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Right of way is never something you take: the law tells you who must yield, and every driver must still do what it takes to avoid a crash.

Quick answer: who has the right of way at a four way stop

1. Come to a full stop at the line, or before the crosswalk if there is no line.
2. The first car to stop is the first car to go.
3. If two cars stop at the same time at right angles, the car on the left yields to the car on the right.
4. If two cars face each other and one is turning left, the car going straight or turning right goes first.
5. Pedestrians in the crosswalk go before any car.

These rules come from official state driver manuals. The California DMV handbook (dmv.ca.gov) says that at a stop sign on all four corners you stop first and then go in order of arrival, yielding to the vehicle on your right if you arrive together. The New York State Driver's Manual (dmv.ny.gov) uses the same driver-on-the-left-yields rule. Check your own state's manual, because wording varies.

The signs and signals that decide right of way

Right of way rules at intersections and on the road

Who has the right of way at a two way stop?

At a two-way stop, the cars without stop signs have the right of way. If you have the stop sign, you stop, then wait until cross traffic is clear in both directions. If two cars stop at opposite stop signs at the same time, the car going straight goes before the car turning left.

Who has the right of way at an uncontrolled intersection?

With no signs or signals, the first vehicle to arrive goes first. If two arrive at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Slow down as you approach, since the other driver may not know the rule.

Who has the right of way in a roundabout?

Traffic already in the roundabout. Slow down, yield to cars in the circle and to pedestrians at the crosswalk, then enter when there is a gap. Never stop inside the circle to let someone in.

Who has the right of way when merging onto a highway?

Traffic already on the highway. Use the ramp to match highway speed, signal and fit into a gap. Highway drivers should move over or adjust speed when they safely can, but the merging driver must yield.

Who has the right of way in a parking lot?

Parking lots are often private property, and the rules are less clear than on the road. A safe rule of thumb: cars moving in the main lanes go before cars backing out of spaces, and everyone yields to people walking. When you leave the lot and enter the street, you must stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians, as the New York manual states.

The right-of-way mistakes people make most

• Waving another driver through when it is your turn. It feels polite but confuses everyone. Take your turn.
• Rolling a stop at a four-way stop. Order of arrival only counts once you have fully stopped.
• Turning left in front of oncoming traffic on a green light. A green light is not a green arrow.
• Assuming the bigger road has priority at an uncontrolled intersection. Without signs, the arrival and right-hand rules apply.
• Stopping on a highway on-ramp. Keep moving, match speed and merge into a gap.
• Entering a roundabout without looking left, where circling traffic comes from in the US.
• Forgetting pedestrians. They have priority in crosswalks, marked or unmarked.
• Pulling out of a driveway or parking lot without a full stop.
• Not pulling over for an emergency vehicle because you think it is going somewhere else.

Practice: 10 right of way questions

Cover the answers, say each answer out loud, then check.

1. You and another car stop at a four-way stop at the same time. The other car is on your right. Who goes first?
2. At a four-way stop, you arrive after a car that is already stopped across from you. Who goes first?
3. You are on a road with no stop sign. A car is waiting at a stop sign on the cross street. Who has the right of way?
4. You want to turn left on a plain green light. A car is coming straight toward you. What do you do?
5. Two cars reach an intersection with no signs at the same time. Who yields?
6. You reach a roundabout and a car is already circling. Who goes first?
7. You are on an on-ramp. Who has the right of way?
8. You are leaving a store parking lot onto the street. What must you do?
9. An ambulance with lights and siren comes up behind you. What do you do?
10. A pedestrian steps into a crosswalk with no signal as you approach. Who has the right of way?

Answers

1. The car on your right. If you arrive together, the driver on the left yields.
2. The car that stopped first.
3. You do. The car at the stop sign must wait for a safe gap.
4. Wait. A left turn yields to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard.
5. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
6. The car already in the roundabout.
7. Traffic already on the highway. You yield and merge into a gap.
8. Stop and yield to traffic on the road and to pedestrians.
9. Pull over to the right and stop until it passes.
10. The pedestrian. Drivers must yield to people in marked or unmarked crosswalks.

How right of way fits into the permit test

Every state's written test has right-of-way questions, and they often come as scenarios: two cars, one intersection, who goes first? They are some of the most-missed questions for people who already drive, because habits on the road do not always match the manual. Signs questions also link to right of way: you need to know a yield sign before you can answer what to do at one.

Learn the rules from your own state's manual, because a few details differ, then practice with scenario questions until you can answer without guessing.

Right of way FAQ