Right-of-way rules at intersections work in a clear order: a working traffic signal controls first, then signs (stop or yield), and if neither is present, default rules decide. The main defaults are simple. At a four-way stop, whoever arrived first goes first, and ties go to the driver on the right. At an uncontrolled intersection, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. A driver turning left yields to oncoming traffic. A driver entering a road from a driveway, alley, or parking lot yields to everyone. Pedestrians in crosswalks and emergency vehicles with lights and sirens get priority over almost everything else.
Signals and Signs Come First
A working signal removes most of the guesswork. Green means proceed if the intersection is clear and no pedestrian is in the crosswalk. Steady yellow means stop if you can do so safely. Steady red means a full stop behind the limit line or crosswalk.
Stop signs require your wheels to come to a complete stop before the crosswalk or limit line. A rolling stop at two miles per hour is still running the sign. Yield signs are different: you slow enough to assess cross-traffic and stop if necessary, but you don’t have to stop if the way is clear. If a crash happens at a yield sign, the driver who failed to yield is almost always found at fault.
Four-Way Stops and Uncontrolled Intersections
At a four-way stop, priority goes to whoever arrived first. When two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. If you aren’t sure who got there first, let the other driver go.
Intersections without any signal or sign still have rules. Under the Uniform Vehicle Code’s Section 11-401, when two vehicles approach from different roads at roughly the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. This is the single most important default rule in American traffic law, and it applies in virtually every state.
The tricky part is judging “roughly the same time.” If the other car is clearly at the intersection before you, they have priority regardless of which side they’re on. The driver-on-the-right rule only kicks in when arrival is essentially simultaneous. By the time you reach the limit line, you should already know whether another vehicle is approaching and from which direction. Side-impact collisions at uncontrolled intersections produce some of the most severe injuries, so approach them the way you would a yield sign.
T-Intersections, Driveways, and Parking Lots
At a T-intersection, one road dead-ends into another. The driver on the terminating road must yield to all traffic on the through road. The same logic applies when you pull out of an alley or side street onto a busier road.
Driveways and parking lots follow an even stricter version of this principle. Under UVC Section 11-404, any driver entering a roadway from a place other than another roadway must yield to all approaching traffic. That includes private driveways, gas stations, shopping center exits, and parking garages. You have zero right-of-way until your vehicle is fully on the public road. This obligation also extends to pedestrians on the sidewalk you cross. If you pull out of a driveway and clip a jogger on the sidewalk, you bear full responsibility.
A common mistake at T-intersections is assuming the driver on the through road will slow down for you. They won’t, and they don’t have to. If visibility is limited, treat it as a stop sign even if none is posted.
Left Turns, Right on Red, and Flashing Yellow Arrows
Left turns are the most dangerous routine maneuver at an intersection. UVC Section 11-402 requires any driver turning left to yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard. That obligation stays in place until the oncoming vehicle has either passed or is far enough away for your turn to be safe. Insurance companies assign fault to the turning driver in nearly every left-turn crash.
A green arrow gives you a protected turn, with oncoming traffic held at a red. A flashing yellow arrow is different: you can turn only after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.1Federal Highway Administration. Safety Evaluation of Flashing Yellow Arrows at Signalized Intersections Treat a flashing yellow arrow the way you would a yield sign.
Right turns on red are legal throughout the United States after a complete stop and after yielding to all cross-traffic and pedestrians. A growing number of cities are limiting the maneuver. New York City banned most right-on-red turns years ago, and Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco have followed or are considering similar restrictions. Always check for “No Turn on Red” signs before going.
When you make a right on red where it is allowed, stop completely, look left for oncoming traffic, look right for pedestrians, then look left again. A driver making a U-turn from the opposite direction has priority over you, because you are the one facing a red light. If a “U-Turn Yield to Right Turn” sign is posted, the priority flips.
Roundabouts
Roundabouts follow one overriding rule: traffic already circulating inside the roundabout has the right-of-way over traffic trying to enter. You yield at the entry point, wait for a gap, and merge into the flow. Once inside, you keep moving until you reach your exit.2Federal Highway Administration. Do You Know the Rules of the Roundabout?
In a multi-lane roundabout, choose the correct lane before you enter. Lane-use signs at the approach show which lane corresponds to which exit. Once inside, stay in your lane and do not change lanes within the circle. Drivers yield to traffic in all lanes of the roundabout, not just the lane closest to them.
Pedestrian crosswalks at roundabouts are set back from the yield line by one or more car lengths. Check for pedestrians at the crosswalk first, then look for a gap in circulating traffic. When exiting, watch for pedestrians at the exit crosswalk and don’t accelerate until you have cleared it.3Federal Highway Administration. Roundabouts: An Informational Guide
Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Blind Pedestrians
Under UVC Section 11-502, drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing within any crosswalk, painted or not. Every intersection has a legal crosswalk even if no paint is visible on the pavement. The duty to yield applies when the pedestrian is on your half of the roadway or is approaching closely enough from the opposite half to be in danger. If another vehicle has stopped at a crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross, you cannot pass that stopped vehicle. Hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk carries some of the harshest penalties in traffic law, including potential criminal charges if the pedestrian is seriously hurt.
Pedestrians have duties too. They can’t step suddenly off a curb into the path of a vehicle that is too close to stop.
Bicyclists have the same right-of-way rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers under UVC Section 11-1202. A cyclist going straight through an intersection has priority over a turning car, and a cyclist approaching from the right at an uncontrolled intersection has priority over a driver on the left.
Blind pedestrians carrying a white cane or accompanied by a guide dog receive heightened protection under UVC Section 11-511. When you see a white cane or guide dog at an intersection, you must come to a full stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has completely crossed. This is not a yield-when-safe situation. Nearly every state has adopted a version of this “white cane law,” and violating it is treated as negligence in itself if the pedestrian is injured.
Emergency Vehicles, School Buses, and Funeral Processions
When an emergency vehicle approaches from behind with lights and sirens active, UVC Section 11-405 requires you to pull to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes. This applies to ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles. Clear the intersection first before you stop, so you don’t trap the emergency vehicle. On a multi-lane road, move right; if you’re already in the right lane, pull to the curb.
Every state prohibits passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing. Stop at least 20 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus moves again or the signals deactivate. The common exception is a divided highway with a physical barrier or raised median: you typically don’t have to stop when the bus is on the other side. A painted center line is not a barrier. Fines generally run from $100 to $500 or more, and many states use stop-arm cameras.
Funeral processions receive some form of right-of-way protection in most states, though specifics vary widely. The most common pattern lets the entire procession proceed through an intersection once the lead vehicle has lawfully entered, even if the signal changes. Five states give funeral processions the right-of-way at any intersection regardless of traffic signals. A handful of states have no funeral procession laws at all. Emergency vehicles responding to a call are the one universal exception and always retain priority over a procession.
What Happens When You Fail to Yield
A failure-to-yield citation is one of the more consequential traffic tickets you can receive. Fines typically fall between $100 and several hundred dollars, with some states imposing fines well above $500 for violations involving pedestrians or school zones. Most states also assess points against your driving record, which affects your insurance premiums for years.
The bigger financial exposure comes through civil liability. When a failure to yield causes a crash, the yielding driver is almost always found at fault. If you turned left into oncoming traffic, pulled out of a driveway into a cyclist, or rolled through a stop sign into a crosswalk, you are paying for the damage. That can mean the other driver’s medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs, and pain-and-suffering claims.
In the most serious cases, failure to yield can support criminal charges. Striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk because you did not stop can result in misdemeanor or felony charges depending on the severity of injury and whether recklessness or impairment was involved.