Who goes first? Florida right-of-way rules, with pictures
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Right of way decides who goes first. Most of it comes down to a few rules: the first to arrive goes first, a tie goes to the one on your right, and when you join traffic, the traffic that's already there goes first. People in a crosswalk go first, painted or not.
In the drawings, the numbers show the order everyone goes in. Every rule here comes from the Official Florida Driver License Handbook.
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What right of way means
The law says who must yield. It never gives anyone the right of way. Every driver, rider, bicyclist and pedestrian must do all they can to avoid a crash, even when that means letting the other one go first.
Corners with no signs, and all-way stops
Where no sign or signal says who goes, vehicles go in the order they arrived, and anyone already in the intersection goes first. If two arrive at about the same time, yield to the one on your right. Bicyclists count as vehicles.
At an all-way stop, every vehicle stops. Then they go in the order they arrived; if two arrive at about the same time, the one on the right goes first.
Coming onto a state highway from a side road, or onto a paved road from an unpaved one, you yield.
Left turns, driveways and merging
Turning left, you yield to oncoming traffic and to people crossing, even when your light is green.
Coming out of a driveway, an alley or off the roadside, yield to the vehicles already on the road, and to people and bicyclists on the sidewalk or in a bike lane.
Merging onto a limited-access highway, the traffic already on it has the right of way. Use the acceleration lane and merge into a safe gap.
Roundabouts
Yield to the traffic already in the roundabout; if no one is coming, you may enter without stopping. Traffic goes one way, counter-clockwise. Inside, don't stop and don't change lanes, and signal before you exit.
With two lanes, pick your lane before you enter: the right lane to go right or straight, the left lane to go left, straight or to make a U-turn.
Pedestrians
Crosswalks at intersections may be painted or unmarked. Either way, people crossing in them have the right of way: stop and stay stopped for them, even on a green light.
Someone crossing away from a crosswalk must yield to you, but you must still do everything you can to avoid hitting them. For a person with a white cane or a service animal, come to a complete stop.
Never pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk for someone crossing. Assume a person may be there even if you can't see one.
Emergency vehicles and school buses
When an emergency vehicle uses a siren or flashing lights, pull over to the nearest edge of the road right away and stop until it passes. Don't block an intersection.
For a school bus stopped with its stop signal out, drivers going either way stop. Oncoming drivers may keep going only when a raised barrier, or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, divides the road. Painted lines don't count.
Questions people ask
Who goes first at an all-way stop in Florida?
The first to arrive goes first. If two arrive at about the same time, the one on the right goes first.
Do I have to stop for a pedestrian at a corner with no painted crosswalk?
Yes. A crosswalk at an intersection may be unmarked, and people crossing in it have the right of way.
Who has the right of way in a roundabout?
Traffic already in it. Yield, then enter when there's a gap; if no one is coming, you needn't stop.
Must I stop for a school bus on the other side of the road?
Yes, unless a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide divides the road. Painted lines aren't a barrier.
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Go deeper
Practice the rules in this guide
Each one has a free practice question with the answer explained.
- Right of way is given, not taken
- First to arrive goes first
- Arriving at the same time
- All-way stops
- Open intersection: side road meets state highway
- Turning left
Show all 19
- Pulling into traffic
- Merging onto a limited-access highway
- Entering a roundabout
- Which way to go in a roundabout
- Turning right at a two-lane roundabout
- Pedestrians in crosswalks
- Marked and unmarked crosswalks
- People crossing outside a crosswalk
- Pedestrians who are blind
- Car stopped at a crosswalk
- Pulling over for an emergency vehicle
- Stopping for a school bus on a two-way road
- School bus across a divided highway: painted lines don't count
Sources
Official Florida Driver License Handbook
- Section 6, Traffic Controls: pages 45, 47 and 51
- Section 7, Driving Safety: pages 62, 63 and 68
- Section 10, Sharing the Road: pages 84, 88 and 89
Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026.
We read these sources and wrote this guide in our own words. The DMV has the final word, and rules change, so check anything important with the DMV before your appointment.