Right of way, turns and intersections in Kansas
Right-of-way rules decide who goes first when two road users want the same space. In Kansas, as everywhere, the law tells you who must yield, but it never gives anyone the right to force their way through. If another driver gets it wrong, let them go.
This page follows the Kansas Driving Handbook's guidance on intersections, turns and roundabouts, which are tested on both the written and road tests.
By the end of this topic you can
- You can decide who goes first at uncontrolled intersections and four-way stops.
- You can make a left turn while yielding correctly to oncoming traffic.
- You can judge when a right turn on red is allowed.
- You can enter, drive and exit a roundabout correctly.
What you need to know and understand
- At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to vehicles already in it and to vehicles on your right.
- At a four-way stop, the first driver to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the driver on the right goes first.
- Drivers turning left yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.
- After stopping at a red light, you may turn right unless a sign prohibits it, after yielding to traffic and pedestrians.
- Drivers coming out of a driveway or alley in a business or residential district must stop before the sidewalk and yield.
- Do not enter an intersection unless there is room to get all the way across, even on green.
- In a roundabout, entering traffic yields to traffic already circulating.
Stop signs and four-way stops
At a stop sign, stop at the marked stop line. If there is no line, stop before the crosswalk. If there is neither, stop where you can see approaching traffic before entering. Stopping does not give you priority: you still yield to vehicles in or close to the intersection and to pedestrians. At four-way stops, take turns in order of arrival and yield to the right on a tie.
Turning safely
- Check mirrors and blind spots, then signal at least 100 feet before the turn.
- Move into the correct lane early: the right lane for right turns, near the center line or the left-turn lane for left turns.
- Slow smoothly and stop behind the line if needed.
- Yield to pedestrians and, for a left turn, to oncoming traffic.
- Finish in the correct lane: the right-most lane after a right turn, and the lane just right of the center line after a left turn.
- Check that your signal has cancelled, then match traffic speed.
Roundabouts the Kansas way
Traffic moves counterclockwise around the center island. Slow to about 15 to 20 mph as you approach. Yield to vehicles already in the circle and to pedestrians and bicyclists. Choose your lane before entering if there is more than one, and do not change lanes or pass inside the roundabout. Signal right before your exit; if you are turning left, signal left on the approach and switch to a right signal before you leave.
Red lights and arrows
A flashing red light works like a stop sign. A red arrow means you may not turn in that direction until it changes. Some left turns on red are allowed from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a full stop and with care; watch for signs that say no turn on red.
Common mistakes
- Treating a stop sign as giving you the right of way once you have stopped.
- Rolling through a right turn on red without a full stop.
- Creeping into the middle of a busy intersection on green with no room to get across.
- Changing lanes inside a multi-lane roundabout.
Test yourself: Right of way, turns and intersections in Kansas
Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.
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Sources: Kansas Driving Handbook, Non-Commercial Driver's Manual (Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles). Independent guide, not affiliated with any licensing agency. Always check the latest official rules with the Kansas licensing agency.