We’ve all done it—hesitated as we rolled to a stop at a busy four-way intersection because we’re not quite sure who has the right-of-way.
It can be a tricky thing even for the most experienced drivers, but especially for newbies. There’s also an intimidation factor in knowing when to yield, because you can cause a very serious accident costing more than just money.
“According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation there were more than 53,100 collisions that were intersection related and an additional 42,000 at intersections.”
To give or yield someone the right-of-way means to let them go first. There are many driving scenarios in which you must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian, cyclist, or another driver.
At an intersection with no lights or signs, you must yield the right-of-way to whichever vehicle approaches first. If you arrive at the same time, the driver on the right has the right-of-way.
When there are stop signs for all directions, the first to come to a stop has the right-of-way. If everyone arrives at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right-of-way.
Any time you approach an intersection and need to make a left or right turn, you must yield the right-of-way to any oncoming traffic. For example, you must wait for approaching vehicles to pass or turn. Be sure to check your blind spot for cyclists as well.
This is the same situation as #3, except you must also yield to all pedestrians when making a right or left turn.
If you live on a busy street or have a private road on your property, you’ll need to yield to any oncoming traffic, cyclists, pedestrians before pulling out onto the main street.
You must wait for the pedestrians and the crossing guard (if there is one) to completely cross the road before continuing, not just your side of the road.
We all make mistakes. Failing to yield can be a costly one, but if you live on a busy street, drive a lot in the city, or live in a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly neighbourhood, it’s a daily challenge.
Make yourself aware of these common mistakes so you don’t make them too:
When you’re fined for failing to yield in Ontario, there are some serious punishments:
If you get into an accident as a result of failing to yield, you will be considered at fault. This will most likely raise your rates.
It may be possible to avoid higher rates if you have accident forgiveness coverage on your policy, but that would need to be purchased before you get into an accident.
Yes, yielding is an essential part of driving safely in a roundabout. Keep an eye out for pedestrians crossing in front of you as well as cyclists who may be hugging the side of your lane.
Learn more about how to properly drive through roundabouts in Ontario.
Yes, you must yield to approaching emergency vehicles and school buses, no matter which lane they are in.
If you do not and are fined, you may also get extra demerit points—and that’s no good for your auto insurance rates.