At an ordinary intersection with no signs or signals and no through-highway priority, another car from a crossing road is already in the intersection. What should you do as you approach?
Correct answer: Yield to the car already in the intersection.
The ordinary uncontrolled-intersection rule requires an approaching driver to yield to a vehicle that has already entered from a different road. Simultaneous-arrival rules do not reverse that priority.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-1 — Right-of-way in absence of signs or signals; subsections (a) and (c); official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You and a car on your right reach an ordinary uncontrolled intersection at approximately the same time. Neither road has through-highway priority. Who should yield?
Correct answer: You should yield to the car on your right.
For vehicles entering from different roads at approximately the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right, subject to special rules such as through-highway priority.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-1 — Right-of-way in absence of signs or signals; subsections (b) and (c); official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You are waiting to turn left across opposing traffic. An oncoming car is close enough that your turn would create an immediate hazard. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield and wait for the hazard to clear before making the turn.
A turning driver must yield to an opposing vehicle in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. A turn signal or earlier arrival does not remove that duty.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-2 — Vehicle turning left or right; subsection (a), oncoming immediate hazard; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
Your right turn will cross a crosswalk where a pedestrian is clearly preparing to cross. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield to the pedestrian before completing the turn.
Section 31-17-2(a) requires turning drivers to yield to a pedestrian intending to cross in a crosswalk that the turn will pass through. It is not limited to a pedestrian already in the middle of the road.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-2 — Vehicle turning left or right; subsection (a), pedestrian intending to cross; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You approach a stop sign with no marked stop line, but there is a crosswalk on the near side. No officer or traffic signal directs you to proceed. Where should you first stop?
Correct answer: Before entering the near-side crosswalk.
The statute places the stop at a marked line, or if there is none, before the near-side crosswalk. The further fallback for viewing cross traffic applies when neither exists.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-4 — Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection; subsection (b), stop-position hierarchy; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You have fully stopped at a stop sign. A car on the crossing road is now so close that entering would force it to brake sharply. What should you do?
Correct answer: Keep yielding until you can enter without creating that immediate hazard.
Stopping fulfills only the initial duty. After stopping, you must still yield to traffic already in the intersection or close enough to create an immediate hazard during your entry.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-4 — Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection; subsection (b), duty after stopping; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You approach a yield sign and crossing traffic makes it unsafe to enter without stopping. What should you do?
Correct answer: Slow for the conditions and stop when necessary to yield safely.
A yield sign requires a reasonable approach speed and a stop when safety requires it. After slowing or stopping, you must yield to pedestrians and vehicles described in the statute.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-4 — Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection; subsection (c); official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You are leaving a private driveway. A pedestrian is crossing its mouth and a car is approaching on the road you will enter. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield to both before entering when clear.
A driver entering or crossing a highway from a private road or driveway must yield to approaching vehicles and pedestrians attempting to cross the driveway or highway.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-5 — Entering from private road or driveway; operative yielding rule; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
You are about to enter a rotary with no sign or traffic-control device changing the priority. A vehicle is already circulating inside. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield to the vehicle already in the rotary.
Without a traffic-control device or sign, entering traffic yields to vehicles already in the rotary, regardless of the direction from which the entering vehicle approaches.
Source: R.I. General Laws § 31-17-8 — Right-of-way at rotary; subsection (a), absence of traffic control device or sign; official legislature HTML text read October 1, 2026. ↗
