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At an uncontrolled US intersection (no signs or signals), the driver who arrives first goes first. If two drivers arrive at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. At a T-intersection, traffic on the through road has the right of way. A driver coming out of a driveway, alley or private road yields to everyone already on the street and to pedestrians on the sidewalk. These rules appear, in almost the same words, in the California, Pennsylvania and Alabama handbooks, and they are permit test favorites.
Key facts
- Nobody “has” the right of way. Pennsylvania’s manual says the law only says who must yield. If the other driver doesn’t yield, you still have to avoid the crash.
- Same time, different roads: yield to the vehicle on your right (California, Pennsylvania, Alabama).
- T-intersection: the road that ends gives way to the through road (California).
- Driveways and alleys: stop before the sidewalk, then yield to traffic on the street (Alabama, Pennsylvania, California).
- Speed matters: Alabama says you lose any right of way if you enter an uncontrolled intersection at an unlawful speed. California sets 15 mph at a blind intersection.
Who goes first at an uncontrolled intersection?
An uncontrolled intersection has no stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal facing any direction. They are common in residential neighborhoods and rural areas.
- First to arrive goes first. California’s handbook: the vehicle that arrives first has the right of way.
- Arriving together: yield to the right. If another vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian arrives at the same time, yield to the one on your right. Pennsylvania and Alabama say drivers coming from the left must yield to vehicles coming from the right.
- Pedestrians first. Yield to pedestrians crossing at intersections without traffic lights, whether the crosswalk is marked or not.
- Slow down on the approach. In California, the limit is 15 mph at a blind intersection, where there are no stop signs at any corner and your view is blocked.
Worked example
You are heading north. A car heading east reaches the intersection at the same moment, approaching from your left. Neither of you has a sign. You go first, because you are on the other driver’s right. If the car had come from your right instead, you would wait. If you had clearly arrived first, you would go first either way.
Right of way at a T-intersection
At a T-intersection with no stop or yield sign, California’s rule is that vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians on the through road (going straight) have the right of way. If you are on the road that ends at the T, you wait for a safe gap in both directions before turning left or right.
- Turning left out of the T is the hardest move: you cross the near lane and join the far one. Look left, right, then left again.
- A one-way street ending at a two-way street: California’s handbook says traffic going straight through has the right of way, and you may turn either left or right from the center lane.
- If there is a stop sign on the ending road, stop first, then apply the same rule.
Entering from a driveway, alley, parking lot or private road
This is where many new-driver crashes happen. Pennsylvania lists crashes “where roads intersect, like driveways” among the four major crash types for new drivers.
- Stop before the sidewalk. Alabama requires a stop when coming out of an alley, private driveway or building in a business or residential district, before crossing the sidewalk or crosswalk area.
- Yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk, in both directions. Children and people on bikes on the sidewalk can appear fast.
- Edge forward and stop again if parked cars or hedges block your view of the street.
- Yield to traffic on the street. Alabama: vehicles entering from a private road or driveway must stop and yield to cars on the public street. Pennsylvania: wait until the main road is clear. California: when entering traffic, yield to the traffic already in the lanes.
Backing out of a driveway
Alabama’s manual says to back into the nearest lane. Back slowly, look over your shoulder and through the rear window, and don’t rely only on a camera. See backing up on the road test.
Yielding to pedestrians
- Yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks (California, Pennsylvania). An unmarked crosswalk exists at most intersections, even without paint.
- Always yield to a blind pedestrian carrying a white cane or using a guide dog (Pennsylvania, Alabama).
- Don’t pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk. It may be stopped for someone you can’t see (California).
More in pedestrians and crosswalks in the US.
Related right-of-way situations
| Situation | Rule | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| All-way stop | Stop; first to stop goes first; tie goes to the driver on the right | Four-way stops |
| Turning left | Yield to oncoming traffic going straight | Left-turn yield rules |
| Yield sign | Slow down and stop if needed for traffic and pedestrians | US road signs |
| Roundabout | Yield to traffic already in the circle | How to drive a roundabout |
| Siren and lights | Pull to the right and stop; clear an intersection first | Emergency vehicles |
| Dark traffic signal | Treated like an all-way stop in many states | Traffic signals |
Common questions
Who has the right of way if neither of us has a stop sign?
The driver who got there first. If you arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
What if the other driver doesn’t yield?
Let them go. Pennsylvania’s manual stresses that you must still yield to avoid a crash even when the other driver is in the wrong.
Who goes first: a car pulling out of a driveway or a car on the street?
The car on the street. The driver leaving a driveway, alley or private road must stop and yield to street traffic and to pedestrians.
Does the right-hand rule apply in parking lots?
The handbooks checked don’t set specific parking-lot rules. Drive slowly, yield to pedestrians, and treat lot aisles as uncontrolled intersections: give way to the right and to traffic on the main aisle.
Is this on the permit test?
Almost certainly. Practice with free permit practice tests, including the California set.
Sources
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road” and “Section 6: Navigating the Roads” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road (Continued)” (dmv.ca.gov)
- Pennsylvania DMV, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual: Negotiating Intersections” and “Everyday Driving Skills” (pa.gov)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Alabama Driver Manual”: Right of Way and Yielding (alea.gov)