Right-of-Way and Intersections: Your Night-Before DMV Checklist
Right-of-way and intersections: your night-before checklist
If you're taking the California DMV written knowledge test tomorrow, you don't need to cram everything. You need a short list you can run through in ten minutes. Right-of-way and intersections are among the most-tested ideas on the exam, so this is the list to review last.
Here's the version that fits on one page.
The core rule, in one breath
At any intersection, yield to pedestrians first, then to vehicles already in the intersection. If you and another vehicle arrive at the same time, the vehicle on your right goes first.
That single sentence unlocks most of the questions in this section. Let's break it into pieces.
Controlled and uncontrolled intersections
A controlled intersection has a sign or a signal telling you what to do — a stop sign, a yield sign, or a traffic light. An uncontrolled intersection has no signs or signals at all. Before you enter either one, look left, right, and ahead for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, and be ready to slow or stop.
Controlled intersections
- Stop sign: Come to a full stop, then proceed when it's safe. If all four corners have stop signs, stop first, then use the same first-arrival and right-of-way logic as an uncontrolled intersection.
- Yield sign: Slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic on the road you're entering. Stop only if you need to.
- Green light: Proceed with caution. Pedestrians still have the right-of-way. A green light is not permission to ignore a hazard in front of you.
On the test, a green light plus a pedestrian in the crosswalk usually points to the same answer: wait for the pedestrian.
Uncontrolled intersections
The vehicle that arrives first goes first. If you and another vehicle get there at the same moment, give the right-of-way to the vehicle on your right. If you arrive at the same time and you're turning left while the other vehicle is going straight, the other vehicle goes first.
At a T intersection with no signs, traffic on the through road goes first.
Worked scenario. You pull up to a four-way stop with no other cars, then a car arrives on your right at the same moment. You both move — the test wants you to let the car on your right go first.
Roundabouts
In a roundabout, traffic moves in one direction, counter-clockwise, around a central island. The test phrases the rule like this: yield to traffic already in the roundabout, enter to the right when there's a safe gap, and don't stop or pass inside it.
- Slow down as you approach.
- Yield to all traffic already circulating.
- Enter only when there's a big enough gap.
- Signal when you exit.
- If you miss your exit, continue around and try again.
Worked scenario. You want the second exit. Cars are already in the circle. You wait, then merge when a gap opens, stay in your lane, and signal before your exit. If you pass it by accident, you don't reverse — you go around again.
Pedestrians and crosswalks
Pedestrians always have the right-of-way in a crosswalk, and the test treats that as an absolute. When you turn, yield to people crossing the street you're turning into. Don't block the crosswalk when you stop at a limit line — stop before it, and if there's no limit line, stop before you enter the crosswalk.
The rule also applies to bicycles and motorcycles riding next to you: check for them before and during the turn.
Worked scenario. You have a green light and a left turn, but a pedestrian is stepping off the curb into the crosswalk. The correct move is to wait, even though the light is green.
Mountain roads
Mountain roads add two practical right-of-way ideas the test likes:
- Narrow road, one lane's worth of space: the vehicle going downhill should yield to the vehicle going uphill. It's easier for the downhill driver to back up and find a wider spot.
- Being passed: if a car is passing you, hold your lane and your speed. Don't speed up.
Worked scenario. You're climbing a narrow mountain road and a car is coming down. The downhill car should pull over first. On a one-way street, you may pass on the left — but never off the paved part of the road.
Self-check: three questions
1. You reach a four-way stop at the same moment as a car on your right. Who goes first?
A. You, because you're on the left.
B. The car on your right.
C. Whoever honks first.
2. You're entering a roundabout and cars are already circulating.
A. Enter immediately, since you're already at the line.
B. Stop inside the circle and wait.
C. Yield to traffic in the roundabout and enter when there's a gap.
3. You're driving downhill on a narrow mountain road and meet a car coming up.
A. You yield to the uphill vehicle.
B. The uphill vehicle must always back up.
C. Whoever is farther from home yields.
Answers: 1 — B. 2 — C. 3 — A.
Key takeaways
- Pedestrians first, then vehicles already in the intersection; when you arrive together, the car on your right goes first.
- Controlled means signs or signals; uncontrolled means none — and first arrival wins.
- Roundabouts: yield to circulating traffic, enter to the right, don't stop or pass inside, and go around again if you miss your exit.
- Pedestrians in a crosswalk always have the right-of-way, even on a green light.
- On narrow mountain roads, the downhill vehicle yields to the uphill one.
When you're ready to test yourself, you can run through these scenarios with Mia at lastdmv.com and see where your instincts still need a tune-up.
Frequently asked questions
Who has the right-of-way at a four-way stop in California?
The vehicle that arrives first goes first. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right-of-way. If a left-turning driver and a straight-going driver arrive together, the straight-going vehicle goes first.
Do pedestrians always have the right-of-way at a crosswalk?
Yes — the test treats pedestrians in a crosswalk as having the right-of-way, even when you have a green light. You should also yield to pedestrians when you turn into a crosswalk.
What should you do if you miss your exit in a roundabout?
Continue around the circle and return to your exit. Don't stop, reverse, or back up inside the roundabout.
On a narrow mountain road, who yields?
The vehicle traveling downhill should yield to the vehicle traveling uphill, because it's easier for the downhill driver to back up to a wider spot.