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Kentucky driving lesson · Traffic Control & Signs

Right-of-way rules

A 3-minute lesson from the Kentucky course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Traffic Control & Signs
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
40

Right-of-way rules decide who goes first when drivers and pedestrians meet, and in what order to enter an intersection. But the law never hands anyone the right-of-way automatically—you must always read the situation and be ready to yield.

Know the rule

No one should assume he or she automatically has the right of way. Always consider the situation and circumstances at the intersection.

Handbook p. 40 ↗

Yield the right of way to:

  • The driver who arrives at the intersection at or before you
  • Oncoming traffic when you're turning left—including vehicles turning right
  • The driver on your right at a four-way stop when you both arrive at the same time
  • Drivers on the public highway when you enter from a driveway or private road
  • Drivers on a main road, if you're on a minor road
  • Drivers already on a limited access or interstate highway when you're on the ramp
  • Pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers still in the intersection
Handbook p. 40 ↗
First car rule at 4-way stop (with text)
First Car Rule at a four-way stop

Intersection

Any place where two roads meet. Traffic there may be controlled by traffic signals, signs or right-of-way rules.

Handbook p. 40 ↗

Traffic control devices

Traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, and directions from law enforcement, highway personnel and school crossing guards.

Handbook p. 40 ↗

Know the rule

When a police officer is directing traffic at an intersection, do what the officer instructs—regardless of traffic signals or signs.

Handbook p. 40 ↗

Put it into practice

You and a pickup reach a four-way stop at the same moment, and the pickup is on your right. Yield to it. If you had clearly arrived first, you'd go first—after checking that no pedestrians or cyclists are still in the intersection.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

At an intersection with no signs or signals, you should generally yield to:
  1. Whoever arrives at or before you
  2. No one; proceed immediately
  3. Whoever is driving the larger vehicle
  4. The driver on your left

Answer: Whoever arrives at or before you

You should yield to the driver who is at or arrives before you at the intersection.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
When making a left turn, you must yield to:
  1. Only pedestrians, not vehicles
  2. Oncoming traffic, even right turners
  3. No one, since you signaled first
  4. Only oncoming vehicles going straight

Answer: Oncoming traffic, even right turners

You must yield to drivers in the opposing lane when turning left, including vehicles turning right.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
At a four-way intersection controlled by stop signs, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, who yields?
  1. Each yields to the driver on the right
  2. The larger vehicle always goes first
  3. The driver on the left always goes first
  4. The driver going straight goes first

Answer: Each yields to the driver on the right

If both drivers arrive at the same time, the driver must yield to the driver on their right.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
If you are entering a public highway from a driveway or private road, you must yield to:
  1. Drivers already on the public highway
  2. Only pedestrians
  3. Only oncoming traffic from the left
  4. No one, since you have the right of way from a driveway

Answer: Drivers already on the public highway

Drivers entering a highway from a driveway or private road must yield to drivers already on the highway.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
A driver on a minor road approaching a main road must:
  1. Proceed at the same speed as main-road traffic
  2. Only yield if a stop sign is posted
  3. Have equal right-of-way with the main road
  4. Yield to drivers on the main road

Answer: Yield to drivers on the main road

Drivers on a minor road must yield to drivers on a main road.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
When a police officer is directing traffic at an intersection, you should follow the officer's instructions over any traffic-control device.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

You must do what the officer instructs regardless of the traffic-control devices or signs present.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
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