Right of way decides who goes first. The law never gives it to you. It only says who must yield. Being right doesn't help if you're in a crash.
Intersections
Four-way stop. Every car stops completely. Then cars go one at a time, in the order they stopped.A tie at a stop. The blue car is on your right, so it goes first. The same rule applies at intersections with no signs at all.Turning left. On a plain green, oncoming cars going straight or turning right go first. Wait with your wheels straight so a rear-end crash can't push you into traffic.Roundabouts. Slow down, yield to cars already in the circle and to people crossing, then enter to the right. Signal right before your exit.
All-way stop: the first car to come to a complete stop goes first.
Two cars stop at the same time: yield to the car on your right.
No signs or signals: yield to the car on your right, and to any car already in the intersection.
Turning left: yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.
Coming out of a driveway, alley or parking lot: yield to everyone already on the road and sidewalk.
Roundabout: yield to traffic already in the circle, then go counterclockwise.
Keeping intersections clear
Don't block the intersection. A car stuck in the middle blocks cross traffic, people crossing and emergency vehicles. Many cities fine it.An ambulance behind you at a red light. Emergency drivers are trained to go around stopped cars. Moving into a busy intersection can cause a second crash.
Don't enter an intersection unless there's room for your whole car on the other side, even if your light is green.
A car stuck in the middle blocks cross traffic, people crossing and emergency vehicles. Many cities ticket it.
Look for KEEP CLEAR or DON'T BLOCK INTERSECTION markings, and keep crosswalks and railroad tracks clear too.
If an emergency vehicle comes up behind you while you're stopped at a red light, stay put or move right only if there's room. Don't run the light into cross traffic.
Emergency drivers are trained to go around stopped cars. Your job is to be predictable and not create a second crash.
People and special vehicles
School buses. Passing a stopped school bus is illegal in every state and carries some of the stiffest penalties a new driver can get.Emergency vehicles. Stay stopped until it passes, then check your mirrors before pulling back out. Don't follow within 500 feet.
Pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right of way, marked or not. Most intersections have a crosswalk even without paint.
Always stop for a blind pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog.
Emergency vehicle with siren and lights: pull to the right edge and stop. If you're in an intersection, clear it first.
School bus with red lights flashing and stop arm out: stop. On a two-lane road, traffic in both directions stops. On a divided highway, usually only traffic behind the bus stops, but New York requires both directions. Stay stopped until the lights turn off.
Trains, trolleys, buses and horses
Light rail and streetcars. They can't swerve and take a long time to stop. Watch for train-only signals at intersections.Transit buses. Buses stop often and pull back into traffic slowly. Giving them room keeps everyone moving.Horses and buggies. Common in farm country and Amish areas. People on horseback follow the same road rules as other vehicles.
Trains, light rail and streetcars always have the right of way. They can't swerve, and they need a long distance to stop.
Never turn in front of a light-rail train or streetcar, and don't drive on the tracks unless signs allow it. Watch for train-only signals at intersections.
When a streetcar stops to let riders on and off and there's no raised safety island, stop behind it until people are clear. Many cities require this.
A city bus signaling to pull out from a stop: slow down and let it in. Several states require it, and many buses have a YIELD sign on the back.
Horses and buggies: slow down early, then pass wide and slowly only when it's safe. Don't honk or rev your engine near a horse. A scared horse can bolt.
An orange triangle with a red border marks a slow-moving vehicle, like a buggy or a farm tractor. People on horseback follow the same road rules as other vehicles.
Ready for the full course?
The app has every chapter, hundreds of questions, a driving game with 56 levels, and a GPS log for real practice drives.
Get it on Google PlayComing soonDownload on the App StoreComing soon
Opens your email app with a short note to us. No email app? Send "Notify me" to notifyme@laneworthy.com . We'll use your address only to tell you when LaneWorthy is available, then delete it.