Right-of-way is the single most-tested topic on every state DMV permit exam. The reason is simple: more crashes happen at intersections than anywhere else, and almost every intersection crash comes down to one driver misjudging who was supposed to yield. This guide explains the rules in plain English, in the order you'll meet them on the test.
What "right-of-way" actually means
It is critical to understand that no driver is ever GIVEN the right-of-way. The law only says who must YIELD it. [Recommended driving resource] Even when the law says the other driver is supposed to yield to you, you can still be cited for failure to avoid a crash if you press on into an obvious hazard. The defensive interpretation, which is what the test rewards, is that you give up the right-of-way whenever doing so prevents a collision.
Four-way stops
At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to come to a complete stop proceeds first. If two vehicles stop at the same time, the one on the LEFT yields to the one on the RIGHT. If you and another driver are facing each other and one of you is turning left, the left-turner yields to the through driver. Eye contact and a small wave are not legal substitutes for these rules, even though they're how most four-way stops actually work in practice.
Uncontrolled intersections
An uncontrolled intersection has no signs and no signals — common in older residential neighborhoods. The same right-on-right rule applies, plus a critical addition: yield to any vehicle already in the intersection, period. If a car is partway across when you arrive, the car already there is the legal occupant of the space, and you yield.
T-intersections
A T-intersection is where one road dead-ends into another. The driver on the road that ends must yield to traffic on the through road, regardless of who arrives first. Stop signs are usually posted but not always; the rule applies even when no sign is present.
Roundabouts
Modern roundabouts are entered by yielding to traffic already in the circle. Travel counter-clockwise, signal right before exiting, and never stop inside the circle except to avoid a crash. Yield-on-entry is the only right-of-way rule for roundabouts on the test, and it's the rule that produces the most wrong answers because so many states only recently adopted modern roundabout designs.
Pedestrians
In every state, pedestrians in any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection have the right-of-way. A pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles, but the driver is still legally required to use due care to avoid hitting them. Stopping for a pedestrian who is jaywalking is not optional.
Emergency vehicles
When an authorized emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren, you pull to the right edge of the road and stop until it has passed. This applies even on the opposite side of an undivided road. Once it has passed, you may resume — but stay back at least 500 feet from the rear of an emergency vehicle responding to a call.
Funeral processions
A funeral procession is treated as a single legal unit. Once the lead vehicle has lawfully entered an intersection, the rest of the procession may follow even on red, and you must yield to the entire procession unless directed otherwise by an officer.