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Rhode Island driving lesson · Basic Driving Skills & Safety Rules

Stop Signs, Four-Way Stops & Parallel Parking

A 3-minute lesson from the Rhode Island 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
Basic Driving Skills & Safety Rules
Checkpoint questions
5
Source pages
31, 32, 33

A real stop is a full stop—long enough to look properly. This lesson covers where to stop, who goes first at a four-way stop, how to parallel park and pull out, start on a hill, and leave a driveway.

3 seconds

Minimum time to completely stop all forward motion: look left, right, center, left again, then go

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Where to stop at a stop sign (R.I.G.L. 31-20-9):

  • Before the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection
  • If there's no crosswalk, at the clearly marked stop line
  • If there's no stop line, at the point nearest the cross street where you can see approaching traffic
Handbook p. 32 ↗

Four-way stop rules:

  • Yield to every vehicle that stopped before you arrived
  • Vehicles arriving after you must yield to you
  • If two vehicles arrive at the same time, yield to the vehicle on your right
  • Be courteous and respectful
Handbook p. 32 ↗

Parallel parking:

  • Move into the traffic lane nearest the space
  • Signal your intention
  • Enter the space using the four steps in the diagram
  • Stop the engine, lock the ignition, remove the key and set the parking brake
Handbook p. 32 ↗
Parking on a hill
Four steps to parallel park

Pulling out of a parking space:

  • Start the engine, release the parking brake, position to re-enter in one motion
  • Check mirrors and look over your left shoulder for blind spots
  • Signal first, then pull out carefully
  • Enter the lane closest to the parking space
Handbook p. 32 ↗

Know the rule

Hill start on the road test: the examiner has you pull right, stop, set the parking brake and shift to neutral—the parking brake must hold the car. To start, look over your left shoulder, shift into gear, signal, release the brake and drive out.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Starting from the curb or changing lanes:

  • Is the lane clear?
  • Signal in time to warn other drivers
  • Check mirrors and look over your shoulder to clear the blind spots
Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Leaving a private road or driveway: stop at the sidewalk to check for pedestrians, then stop again at the curb line to check for traffic.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Put it into practice

You and another car reach a four-way stop at the same moment; it is on your right. Yield and let it go first. A third car that pulls up after you must wait for you.

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.

For how long should drivers completely cease forward motion when stopping, per the handbook?
  1. A minimum of one second
  2. A minimum of ten full seconds
  3. There is no minimum time
  4. A minimum of three seconds

Answer: A minimum of three seconds

When stopping, drivers should completely cease all forward motion for a minimum of three seconds.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
At a four-way stop, you and another vehicle arrive at exactly the same time. Which driver must yield?
  1. The driver on the left yields to the one on the right
  2. The driver on the right yields to the one on the left
  3. The driver going straight yields to the one turning
  4. The driver turning left yields to all others

Answer: The driver on the left yields to the one on the right

If two vehicles arrive at the same time, you must yield the right of way to the vehicle on your right.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
When driving out of a private driveway that crosses a sidewalk, where must you stop?
  1. Only at the curb line
  2. Only at the sidewalk
  3. At the sidewalk, then again at the curb line
  4. Only where a stop sign is posted

Answer: At the sidewalk, then again at the curb line

Stop at the sidewalk to check for pedestrians, then stop again at the curb to check for oncoming traffic.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
You approach a stop sign where there is no crosswalk but there is a clearly marked stop line. Where must you stop?
  1. Beside the stop sign post
  2. At the stop line
  3. At the point nearest the cross street
  4. Past the line, where you can see traffic

Answer: At the stop line

Under RIGL 31-20-9, stop before the crosswalk; with no crosswalk, stop at a clearly marked stop line; only if there's no line, stop nearest the cross street.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
True or False: During the road test hill start, the parking brake must hold the vehicle from rolling back while the car is in neutral.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

The examiner has you stop, set the parking brake and shift to neutral; the parking brake must hold the vehicle from rolling back.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
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