Who has the right of way at an intersection with no signs or signals in Texas?
Two cars reach an intersection with no signs or signals at about the same time. One car is to the right of the other. Which driver must yield?
The answer
At an intersection with no traffic control device, a driver must yield to a vehicle that has entered the intersection from the driver's right, or that is approaching from the right so closely that it is a hazard.
Texas also presumes that a driver who is required to yield and then collides with or interferes with the other vehicle did not yield.
The statute treats some situations differently: see exceptions.
Exceptions
- A driver on a one- or two-lane road approaching a divided highway or a road with three or more marked lanes must stop and give the other road's traffic immediate use of the intersection, proceeding only when safe.
- A driver on an unpaved road approaching a paved road must stop and yield to paved-road traffic.
Why this rule matters for safety
A predictable rule lets drivers at crossings without signals know who goes first, so fewer drivers have to guess.
Official sources
- Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 545 (Operation and Movement of Vehicles) · Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes system)Sec. 545.151(b) through (f), vehicle approaching or entering an intersection, including the presumption of failure to yield. The PDF shows no publication date.
Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the Texas agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.
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