Right of way

Uncontrolled intersections

At an intersection where there are no stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights or police directing traffic, and two vehicles arrive at the intersection at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left must yield the right of way to the driver of the vehicle on the right.

Watch Now: Uncontrolled intersections

This rule also applies to T-intersections.

Watch Now: T-intersections

When turning left, you must yield the right of way to any vehicles coming toward you if they are close enough that your turn would interfere with them.

Watch Now: Turning left

When entering a provincial highway from any other road, you must yield the right of way to any vehicles travelling on the provincial highway and to any pedestrian closely approaching the intersection.

Watch Now: Entering a highway

When entering a street, road or highway from a private road, lane or alley, you must yield the right of way to any pedestrians on the sidewalk and to any vehicles on the street, road or highway.

Controlled intersections

At any intersection where a yield sign is present, drivers facing the sign must yield the right of way to any other motorist approaching the intersection.

At three and four-way stops, courtesy dictates that the first vehicle that stops should be given the right of way. The remaining three then yield the right of way to the driver on their right.

At two-way stops, vehicles must remain stopped until all cross traffic passes. When two vehicles arrive around the same time to the opposite stop signs and one of the vehicles is turning left, the driver turning left must yield the right of way to the driver going straight. If it's safe, the vehicle turning left can go next, even if another vehicle arrives in the meantime, and plans to go straight. The left turning vehicle can turn left while the next vehicle advances to the stop line. This keeps traffic flowing. When opposing vehicles are both going straight, the drivers can proceed at the same time.

In any case, if you're at a stop sign you must yield to vehicles and pedestrians and may not proceed until it's safe.

All drivers have a moral and legal responsibility to avoid collisions. If you have the right of way at an intersection and a driver refuses to yield to you, you're responsible from a safety standpoint to avoid a collision, rather than insist upon your right of way.

Construction or maintenance vehicles

You must yield the right of way to any highway construction or maintenance vehicles that have their warning lights in operation.

Zipper merge

When a lane is closed in a construction zone, you might need to make a zipper merge. A zipper merge means drivers use both lanes of traffic until the lane ends, and then alternate in "zipper" fashion into the open lane. Vehicles in the lane that's ending must signal, shoulder check and merge when safe, while each driver in the continuing lane should let one vehicle in. Sometimes both lanes are merging into a new lane and drivers in both lanes must signal, shoulder check and take turns merging when it's safe.

Zipper merging is beneficial because it makes traffic flow more quickly and efficiently for drivers in both lanes. It also creates a sense of fairness and equity that all lanes are moving at the same rate. Zipper merging also helps reduce:

differences in speeds between two lanes
the overall length of traffic backup
congestion on freeway interchanges

Always pay attention and follow any posted signs you see in a construction area. Zipper merge signs may not always be present, but zipper merging is allowed and recommended in construction zones.

Remember to be courteous, merge when safe and you'll zip through quickly.