Three different times over the course of a day, I either almost witnessed or was involved in a near accident at a 4-way stop here in Casper.

That got me wondering, with the myriad of residents occupying the streets and roads of our fair city, how many drivers truly know who has the right of way at a four-way-stop?

Considering I know for fact this is one of the questions on the Wyoming drivers test (because I had to quiz two of my children on the booklet, before they received their learners permits recently), I figured there's no harm in a little reminder.

According to TopDriver.com, here are four easy rules you need to remember:

  • First Come, First Served: The first car to arrive at the intersection receives the right of way. It doesn’t matter where the vehicle is located or what direction it is traveling, this rule will always apply when someone has clearly arrived at the stop sign first. However, still be wary of aggressive or distracted drivers that may dismiss this rule.
  • Yield To The Right: When two vehicles arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time, and are located side-by-side, the vehicle furthest to the right has the right of way. If three vehicles arrive at the same time, the car furthest left should continue to yield until both of the other cars to the right of them have passed.
  • Straight Over Turning: When arriving to an intersection head-to-head with another vehicle, it is important to use signals. When two vehicles arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time, and they are located head-to-head and one of the vehicles intends to turn and the other intends to go straight, the vehicle going straight has right of way. Keep in mind that if both vehicles are going straight or turning in the same direction, they can both proceed at the same time as they will not cross each other’s path.
  • Right Over Left: When two vehicles arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time, and they are located head-to-head and one of the vehicles intends to turn right and the other intends to turn left, the vehicle turning right has right of way. Move forward slowly before entering the intersection to indicate to other drivers you are making the turn. The driver turning left should wait until the other car has fully passed.

If all that was just a little too wordy for you, check out this awesome video below.

In case you ever want to brush up on the official Wyoming Department of Transportation's Rules of The Road, click here of the full manual.

Always keep in mind, we're sharing these roads and although the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire planet, the last few weeks have seen more drivers back in the saddle. We can all remember to be more polite. No one's time is any more or less important than anyone else's.

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