DMV Permit · Right of Way

At a four-way stop where two vehicles arrive at the same time, who has the right of way?

Correct answer

The vehicle on the right

  1. A Whoever arrived first
  2. B The vehicle on the right
  3. C Always the vehicle going straight
  4. D The larger vehicle

Why this is the answer

When two vehicles arrive at a four-way stop at the same time, the driver on the right has the right of way. If they arrive at different times, the first to stop goes first. If three or four vehicles arrive simultaneously, the standard rule is still 'yield to the right', though in practice drivers often resolve the situation by eye contact and one driver waving the other through. Right-of-way rules are 'yielding' rules: they tell you who must wait, not who absolutely must go. A driver who legally has right of way should still yield when needed to prevent a crash. Vehicles going straight typically have right of way over those turning left at signal-less intersections, but the same-arrival-time rule still defers to the right.
Source: Standard state driver handbook, Right-of-Way at Intersections

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About this topic: Right of Way

Right-of-way rules are yielding rules — they tell you who must wait. At four-way stops, intersections without signals, and emergency-vehicle situations, knowing them prevents the most common urban crashes. This is one of 11 DMV Permit questions on right of way, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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