When you pull to a stop at a busy four-way stop intersection, what should you do?
- Immediately start rolling through the intersection and figure other drivers will stop for you.
- Wait silently for all the other drivers to start first.
- Wait anxiously and motion with your right hand for the other driver to go ahead, all the while feeling good about your good manners and courtesy.
- Wait for the driver of the car that came to a stop before you and then go, or if you and the other driver stopped at the same time, wait for the driver on the right to proceed.
The correct answer is D. And for the sake of all that is good and proper and safe, we can only hope that more motorists take notice. It really isn’t that difficult, but it does require some concentration, and a bit of willpower.
I speak from experience as a motorist and a neighbor. My home is adjacent to a double four-way stop where Garrison Street passes under I-70. Some may recall when, a few years ago, this intersection was just a two-way stop where traffic on the other two ways tended to roll through at speed, confident the other car would not pull out. Making a left turn here was a test of courage and timing.
Many fender-benders and traffic back-ups later, both intersections were made four-way stops. These days, it is instructive and entertaining to watch the rush-hour tango of cars, SUVs, giant pick-ups, online delivery trucks, and student drivers learning to pilot semi-trucks as they all shuffle through the four-way stops on either side of the underpass.
So, let’s consult the Colorado Driver Handbook for the official word on what to do at a four-way stop. It says: “You must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle that reached the intersection first. When more than one vehicle reaches the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield the right-of-way and allow the vehicle on the right to go first. Regardless of who has the right-of-way, you are always responsible for avoiding a crash.” Sage advice, especially that last part.
Let’s clear something up. At a four-way stop, when you pull to a stop at the same time as another vehicle, the vehicle on the right goes first. However, when approaching a traffic round-about, you must stop for the vehicle on the left that is already in the circle.
So that’s it. Waving at the other driver to go ahead while they wait for you because you have the right of way only leads to frustration. A courteous driver knows the rules of the road and practices them whenever they are behind the wheel. Happy motoring.
