Right of Way
Master intersections, pedestrians, and who goes first.
Most missed rules in this lane come from movement order, not memorizing one exact picture. Focus on four-way stops, uncontrolled intersections, turns across traffic, crosswalks, railroad crossings, and emergency vehicles so you can explain who yields, who proceeds, and what changes when a pedestrian or train enters the scene.
The rules that matter
- Right-of-way is something you give, never something you take. The rules say who must yield, not who may go.
- At a four-way stop the first to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the driver on the right goes first.
- At an intersection with no signs or signals, yield to any vehicle already in it and to the vehicle on your right.
- Turning left across traffic, you yield to oncoming vehicles and to pedestrians in the crosswalk. A green light does not change that.
- In a roundabout, yield to traffic already circulating, then enter and travel to the right.
- Pull to the right and stop for an emergency vehicle using lights or siren, and never follow one closely.
- A pedestrian with a white cane or a guide dog always has the right of way — stop and wait.
The lessons in this module
Each lesson is one short set of questions. If you've missed questions in this module before, a few come back at the start. Progress saves automatically; sign in only if you want cross-device sync.
Lesson videos
15 lessons · See all →Read this in the handbook
Look for these sections: Right-of-Way, Intersections, Pedestrians, Emergency Vehicles, Railroad Crossings.
Where these rules come from
We do not copy official handbooks — most states do not allow it. What we do instead: state the rule in our own words, then name the official document behind it. 255 questions in this module cite 71 official documents, none checked earlier than 2026-05-17. The 6 most-cited are below.
| Official document | Sections cited |
|---|---|
NHTSA Ten Tips for Safe Driving ↗ National · Checked 2026-08-01 | Safe Driving Basics |
NHTSA Pedestrian Safety ↗ National · Checked 2026-08-01 | |
MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 8 — Railroad and Light Rail Grade Crossings ↗ National · Checked 2026-08-01 | Railroad Crossings |
FHWA Roundabouts: An Informational Guide ↗ National · Checked 2026-08-01 | |
MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 4 — Highway Traffic Signals ↗ National · Checked 2026-08-01 | Pedestrian Signal Indications, School Zone Beacons |
State driver handbook (universal rules of the road) ↗ National · Checked 2026-06-14 | Rules of the road - visual scenario |
Opening a source takes you to the agency's own site, never to a copy of ours. If a source is out of date or broken, say so from any question.
Practice this module
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Review these questions
In a multi-lane roundabout, to go straight you should:
- A. Use either lane
- B. Use the right lane
- C. Use the left lane
- D. Use the center lane
Show answer
A. Use either lane — To go straight through a multi-lane roundabout, you may generally use either lane. Check signs for specific lane assignments.
Universal rule · checked against FHWA Roundabouts: An Informational Guide · verified 2026-08-01
Before crossing a railroad track after a train passes, you should:
- A. Immediately proceed — the train just passed and the crossing is clear
- B. Wait and look both ways
- C. Count 5 seconds, then proceed
- D. Proceed as soon as the gate begins to rise
Show answer
B. Wait and look both ways — After a train passes, look in both directions before crossing. Another train could be approaching on the same or a parallel track. Wait for gates to fully rise and signals to stop before proceeding.
Universal rule · checked against MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 8 — Railroad and Light Rail Grade Crossings — Railroad Crossings · verified 2026-08-01
To make a proper right turn at an intersection, you should:
- A. Turn from the center lane
- B. Swing wide to the left before turning
- C. Approach near the curb, turn into the nearest lane
- D. Make the turn as wide as possible
Show answer
C. Approach near the curb, turn into the nearest lane — A correct right turn starts close to the right curb and ends in the nearest right lane, keeping the turn tight and predictable.
Universal rule · checked against NHTSA Ten Tips for Safe Driving — Safe Driving Basics · verified 2026-08-01
A pedestrian is jaywalking across the road mid-block ahead of you. You should:
- A. Maintain speed since they are crossing illegally
- B. Slow down; you must still avoid a collision
- C. Swerve sharply into the next lane
- D. Honk and keep going without slowing
Show answer
B. Slow down; you must still avoid a collision — Even when a pedestrian crosses illegally, you must do what you safely can to avoid hitting them, including slowing or stopping.
Universal rule · checked against NHTSA Pedestrian Safety · verified 2026-08-01
Children are gathered at this bus stop near the road. As you pass, you should:
- A. Maintain speed since they are off the road
- B. Slow down and be ready to stop for a child
- C. Honk to keep them back
- D. Move to the far lane and speed up
Show answer
B. Slow down and be ready to stop for a child — Children near the road can step out unexpectedly, so reduce speed and stay ready to stop when passing a bus stop or play area.
Universal rule · checked against State driver handbook (universal rules of the road) — Rules of the road - visual scenario · verified 2026-06-14
