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Michigan driving lesson · Right-of-Way, Passing, and Turning

Yield signs, pedestrians and funeral processions

A 3-minute lesson from the Michigan 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
Right-of-Way, Passing, and Turning
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
44, 45

Some situations always call for yielding: yield and merge signs, work crews and, above all, pedestrians. A green light never gives you the right to drive through someone in a crosswalk.

Know the rule

At a YIELD sign, slow down, check for traffic and be prepared to stop.

Handbook p. 44 ↗

Know the rule

Be prepared to yield whenever you see workers in highway construction or maintenance areas.

Handbook p. 44 ↗

Know the rule

At a MERGE sign, yield to through traffic and adjust your speed to merge safely.

Handbook p. 45 ↗

You must yield to pedestrians:

  • In a marked crosswalk, at an intersection or midblock
  • In the crosswalk, even if your traffic light is green
  • Children near or in a school zone crosswalk when school is in session
  • With disabilities, including physical, hearing and visual disabilities
  • When turning at any intersection, whether or not there are signals
  • When stopping at a stop sign or a flashing red light, and at a flashing yellow light
  • In an unmarked crosswalk on the driver's side when no traffic controls are present
  • Who entered the crosswalk before the signal changed
  • Crossing from an alley, driveway, building or private road
Handbook p. 45 ↗

Funeral processions:

  • Have the right of way over all vehicles except fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles
  • Display a fluorescent orange flag with a religious symbol (cross, star of David, crescent and star)
  • Cutting through a procession is a civil infraction
  • Be respectful, but you are not required to pull over for one
Handbook p. 45 ↗

Put it into practice

Your light turns green, but a pedestrian who stepped off the curb before it changed is still crossing in front of you. You must wait — you yield to a pedestrian who entered the crosswalk before the signal changed.

Put it into practice

A funeral procession with orange flags reaches your intersection while you have a green light. Let it pass; cutting into it is a civil infraction. You don't have to pull over to the curb.

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.

What should you do when approaching a YIELD sign?
  1. Stop only if a vehicle is approaching
  2. Always come to a complete stop
  3. Proceed without slowing if turning right
  4. Slow down and be ready to stop

Answer: Slow down and be ready to stop

At a YIELD sign, slow down, check for traffic, and be prepared to stop.

Handbook p. 44 ↗
You're approaching a MERGE sign on a road that joins a through road. What must you do?
  1. Stop completely before merging
  2. Yield to through traffic and adjust your speed
  3. Expect through traffic to yield to you
  4. Speed up and merge at the end of the lane

Answer: Yield to through traffic and adjust your speed

When approaching a MERGE sign, be prepared to yield to through traffic and adjust your speed as necessary to merge safely.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
Must you yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk even if your light is green?
  1. No, a green light always has priority
  2. Only if the pedestrian has a disability
  3. Yes, you must yield to the pedestrian
  4. Only in a marked school zone

Answer: Yes, you must yield to the pedestrian

You must yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, even if your traffic light is green.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
A pedestrian begins crossing legally, and the signal changes before they finish. What must drivers do?
  1. Yield to the pedestrian who started legally
  2. Proceed slowly around the pedestrian
  3. Proceed since the light changed
  4. Only yield if the pedestrian is elderly or disabled

Answer: Yield to the pedestrian who started legally

You must yield to a pedestrian who entered the crosswalk before the signal changed.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
Which vehicles have the right of way over a funeral procession?
  1. Only police vehicles
  2. Ambulances and tow trucks
  3. Fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles
  4. None, funeral processions always have absolute right of way

Answer: Fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles

Funeral processions have the right of way over all other vehicles, except fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
Are drivers required to pull over when they see a funeral procession passing?
  1. Only if requested by an officer
  2. No, but don't cut through it
  3. Yes, always
  4. Only if you're directly behind the procession

Answer: No, but don't cut through it

Drivers aren't required to pull over for a funeral procession, but cutting through one is a civil infraction.

Handbook p. 45 ↗
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