DMV Permit · Right of Way

At a 4-way stop, two vehicles arrive simultaneously — one from the north and one from the east. Who has the right-of-way?

Correct answer

The vehicle from the east, because the driver on the LEFT yields to the driver on the RIGHT — in this case, the north-facing driver has the east-facing driver on their RIGHT, so the east-facing driver goes first

  1. A The vehicle from the north, because north is top of the map
  2. B The vehicle from the east, because the driver on the LEFT yields to the driver on the RIGHT — in this case, the north-facing driver has the east-facing driver on their RIGHT, so the east-facing driver goes first
  3. C Whoever signals first
  4. D The vehicle that is turning, because they have a more complex maneuver

Why this is the answer

4-WAY STOP TIE-BREAKER — YIELD TO THE RIGHT: When vehicles arrive simultaneously at a 4-way stop, the driver on the LEFT must yield to the driver on the RIGHT. Visualise: North-facing driver looks to their right and sees the east-facing driver — they yield. East-facing driver looks to their right and sees no one coming from the south — they can proceed. The confusion: 'right' means the driver's physical right as they sit in their vehicle facing the intersection — not geographic direction. REMEMBER: At 4-way stops, the vehicle with the most people on its RIGHT side must wait the longest. After stopping, proceed in the correct order: first to arrive goes first; simultaneous = right before left; if three arrive simultaneously, the two who face each other often proceed, and the one on the left of both yields.
Source: DMV Handbook, 4-Way Stop Right-of-Way

Practice more questions

This question is from our DMV Permit Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Right of Way and other topics.

Take the Rules of the Road practice test →

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

Related questions

State-specific guides

Need information for your state? Our state guides cover local requirements, fees, and what to expect on exam day.