Who goes first at a 4-way stop?

The first vehicle to arrive goes first. On a tie, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. If two facing vehicles arrive together, the one turning left yields to the one going straight.

Who has the right of way when turning left on green?

Oncoming traffic and crossing pedestrians do. A circular green permits the turn only after you yield; a green arrow is the only signal that protects a left turn.

Do pedestrians always have the right of way?

In crosswalks — marked or unmarked — yes, drivers must yield. Pedestrians crossing mid-block outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles, but drivers still have a legal duty to avoid hitting anyone.

Right-of-Way Rules, Explained Simply

Right-of-way questions are where permit tests get tricky on purpose: they describe a scene — two cars, an intersection, maybe a pedestrian — and ask who goes first. The rules themselves are short. What the test really checks is whether you can apply them in combination.

One mindset fix before the rules: the law never *grants* you the right of way. It only says who must *yield*. If the other driver doesn't follow the rules, insisting on your turn is how crashes happen — a point several states test directly.

Four-way stops

First to arrive, first to go. When two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. When two vehicles face each other, the one turning left yields to the one going straight. Vehicle size, honking, and impatience change nothing.

Uncontrolled intersections

No signs, no signals — common in residential neighborhoods. Slow down, and yield to any vehicle that arrives before you or arrives at the same time on your right. It's the four-way-stop tiebreaker applied without the stop signs.

Left turns and green lights

A circular green light permits your left turn but does not protect it: oncoming through-traffic and pedestrians in the crosswalk go first. Only a green arrow gives you a protected turn. Remember it as permission versus protection — a green ball is permission; a green arrow is protection.

Roundabouts

Traffic already circulating in the roundabout has the right of way. Yield on entry, go counterclockwise, and signal your exit. Never stop inside a roundabout to let someone in — the design only works if circulating traffic keeps moving.

Pedestrians, buses, and emergency vehicles

Pedestrians in a crosswalk — marked or unmarked — get the right of way, and every intersection legally contains crosswalks even without paint. A school bus with flashing red lights stops traffic in both directions on undivided roads in every state; divided-highway exceptions vary, so learn your state's version.

For an emergency vehicle running lights or siren: pull to the right edge of the road and stop, even if it's approaching from the other direction on an undivided road. In an intersection, clear the intersection first, then pull right.

Now make it stick

Reading builds recognition — answering builds recall. Drill this topic with original practice questions and full explanations.

Practice Right-of-Way questions

Frequently asked questions

Who goes first at a 4-way stop?: The first vehicle to arrive goes first. On a tie, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. If two facing vehicles arrive together, the one turning left yields to the one going straight.
Who has the right of way when turning left on green?: Oncoming traffic and crossing pedestrians do. A circular green permits the turn only after you yield; a green arrow is the only signal that protects a left turn.
Do pedestrians always have the right of way?: In crosswalks — marked or unmarked — yes, drivers must yield. Pedestrians crossing mid-block outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles, but drivers still have a legal duty to avoid hitting anyone.