If you stay within the speed limit enforced on a given road, you should generally have adequate time to slow down and halt at a stop sign, whether or not you see it long ahead of time.
Try to come smoothly to a stop rather than slamming on the brakes. If there is a solid white bar or a crosswalk painted across the intersection, you should stop before it, so that you don’t block it. If there is no painted stopping line, then stop slightly before the stop sign so that you can see in all directions at the intersection. If you cannot see clearly around the intersection, slowly pull forward slightly until you can see, and come to a complete stop again. If another vehicle is already stopped at the stop sign in front of you, you must first stop behind it, then again come to a complete stop at the stop sign once that vehicle moves on.
A two-way stop is used when two roads intersect, but traffic on only one road is required to stop at the intersection. A four-way or all-way stop is used when two roads intersect, and traffic moving in all directions must stop at the intersection. A T-junction is formed when one road dead-ends in another perpendicular to it (forming a shape that resembles the letter “T”). T-junctions may have a three-way stop, in which traffic moving in all directions must stop at the intersection, or they may have only a stop sign for the traffic moving toward the intersection from the road that dead-ends. Many stop signs will have a smaller sign below the red octagon indicating if the stop is a four-way, three-way, etc.
Only cross the intersection if any traffic is a safe distance away. The exact distance will depend on the speed of the oncoming traffic and other concerns, so always use good judgment and play it safe. Remember that traffic on the road may include bicyclists, motorcycles, and other vehicles, in addition to automobiles.
If two vehicles come to a stop at an intersection at the same time, a driver turning left must yield to traffic going straight or turning right. [4] X Research source In all cases, let safety prevail. [5] X Research source [6] X Research source Do everything you can to prevent an accident. For instance, if another vehicle starts to proceed before its “turn,” just let it go by and proceed when the roadway is clear.
Stop signs are not really used to control speed. In fact, studies have show that many drivers tend to increase their speed between stop signs. Too many stop signs can also increase pollution and cause traffic congestion. The decision about whether or not to erect a stop sign is usually governed by several factors, such as the number of crashes that have occurred at the intersection, traffic flow and volume, and visibility at the intersection.
