At an uncontrolled intersection, one with no stop signs, yield signs or traffic lights, the vehicle that arrives first goes first. If two arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Everyone must slow down enough to stop.
You find them in neighborhoods, on rural roads, in parking lots and alleys, and sometimes where a sign has been knocked down.
Cross RoadMUTCD W2-1
Side RoadMUTCD W2-2Approaching one safely
- Slow down as you approach, well below the speed limit. Many states set a low limit where you can't see down the cross street (California: 15 mph at a blind intersection).
- Look left, right, and left again.
- Yield to anyone already in the intersection, and to people on foot.
- Yield to a vehicle on your right that is arriving at the same time.
- Go when it's clear, and keep watching.
How it compares with other intersections
| Intersection | Who goes first |
|---|---|
| No signs, no lights | First to arrive; together → the vehicle on the right |
| All-way stop | First to stop; together → the vehicle on the right |
| Two-way stop (you have the stop sign) | Cross traffic, which doesn't stop |
| T-intersection with no signs | Traffic on the through road |
| Traffic light out | Treat as all-way stop |
The rule for an uncontrolled intersection is really the four-way stop rule without the stop. That's why who goes first at a 4-way stop is good practice for both. The same logic applies when the lights are dark; see traffic lights out.
Parking lots and alleys
Parking lots are full of uncontrolled intersections: where two aisles cross, where an aisle meets the lot's main drive. The same rule applies: first to arrive, then the car on the right. Leaving a parking lot or alley onto a street is different: you yield to everyone on the street and to people on the sidewalk, because you are entering a road from a private driveway.
The rule tells you who should yield. It doesn't guarantee the other driver will. The yield-to-the-right rule is one of the least known on the road; plenty of drivers treat the road they are on as the main road. Be ready to stop even when it's your turn.
Practice it
The "No signs, no lights" level of Right of Way gives you a quiet intersection and a few cars.
Play "No signs, no lights" in Right of WayStart ›Rule and sources: no signs or lights.
