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DMV Permit · Right of Way

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

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

The vehicle on the right

  1. A The larger vehicle
  2. B The vehicle on the right
  3. C Whoever honks first
  4. D The vehicle on the left

Why this is the answer

At a four-way (all-way) stop, vehicles proceed in the order they arrive — first to stop is first to go. When two vehicles arrive at about the same time, the general rule is that the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Drivers should always come to a complete stop, make eye contact when possible, and proceed cautiously even when they have the right of way. Right-of-way rules reduce conflict but never guarantee safety, so a driver should yield whenever there is doubt. Knowing the 'yield to the right' rule at a tie is standard right-of-way content on the permit test.
Source: Standard driver handbook, Four-Way Stops

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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.

New to this exam? Our DMV Permit exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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