Who goes first? Rotaries and right of way in Massachusetts
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At a rotary, the cars already going around it go first. You yield as you enter, unless signs or a police officer tell you otherwise, and you yield to people crossing on foot.
The rest of right of way comes down to a few rules: the first to stop goes first, a tie goes to the one on your right, and when you join a road, the traffic already on it goes first. Every rule here comes from the Massachusetts Driver's Manual.
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What right of way means
Right-of-way rules settle who goes first where no sign or signal does. The manual is clear that they don't hand you any rights: you give the right of way, you never grab it. If another driver ignores the rules, let them go.
Rotaries
A rotary is where several roads meet around a central island, and you drive through it without a STOP sign or a light. Each entrance has a yield sign. Traffic goes around counter-clockwise, and big rotaries are built for speeds up to 40 mph.
Through a rotary
- Yield to the cars already in the rotary and to pedestrians, unless signs or an officer say otherwise.
- Signal the way you would at any intersection.
- Go around counter-clockwise, and switch on your right signal when you're ready to leave.
- Missed your exit? Don't stop. Check the traffic around you and go around again when it's safe.
Which lane in a rotary
With one lane, you enter from the right lane of your road and leave into the right lane of the road you want. With more than one lane, follow the signs. If there are none:
A rotary with two or more lanes and no lane signs
Right turn or straight on
- Enter from
- The right lane
- Go around in
- The same right lane
- Leave into
- The right lane
Three-quarter turn or U-turn
- Enter from
- The left lane
- Go around in
- The middle or inner lane
- Leave into
- The right lane
| Right turn or straight on | Three-quarter turn or U-turn | |
|---|---|---|
| Enter from | The right lane | The left lane |
| Go around in | The same right lane | The middle or inner lane |
| Leave into | The right lane | The right lane |
Coming from a one-lane road, stay in the right lane all the way around. In a rotary with several lanes, cars may be on both sides of you, so change lanes only when it's safe.
Roundabouts
A roundabout works like a rotary but is much smaller, with a smaller island. Most have yield lines painted at the entrances and crosswalks for pedestrians, and their size keeps you to 25 mph or less. Pick your lane by the signs, and use the same rules as at a rotary.
Corners with no signs, and four-way stops
At an intersection with no signs or signals, slow down and look both ways. Yield to a vehicle that's already in it from your right or is coming from your right. Even when you have the right of way, check that the driver on your left is really yielding.
At a four-way stop, cars go in the order they stopped. If you and the car on your right stop together, it goes first. When in doubt, let the driver on your right go.
Coming from a one- or two-lane road onto a divided highway or a road with three or more lanes, you yield.
Left turns, driveways and highways
Before any left turn, yield to oncoming vehicles, to vehicles already in the intersection, and to people walking or cycling across your path.
Pulling onto a paved road from a driveway, a private road or a dirt road, you stop first, then let pedestrians, bicyclists and traffic on that road go.
Getting on a highway, the drivers already on it have the right of way: match their speed and merge into a gap.
Pedestrians
Yield to anyone walking in the road. When your light turns green, people already in the crosswalk still go first. Stop for a blind pedestrian with a white cane or a guide dog, and stay stopped until they've crossed. Don't honk or wave them on.
On a road with several lanes, never pass a car stopped at a crosswalk without checking for someone crossing in front of it.
Questions people ask
At a rotary, who goes first?
The cars already in the rotary. Yield to them and to pedestrians as you enter, unless signs or a police officer direct you otherwise.
Which lane do I use for a U-turn in a rotary?
With two or more lanes and no lane signs, enter from the left lane, go around in the middle or inner lane, and leave into the right lane.
Who goes first at a four-way stop in Massachusetts?
The first to stop goes first. If you stop at the same time as the car on your right, it goes first.
Is a roundabout the same as a rotary?
It works the same way, but it's much smaller and slows you to 25 mph or less. Use the same lane rules as at a rotary.
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Go deeper
Practice the rules in this guide
Each one has a free practice question with the answer explained.
- Entering a rotary
- Which way to go in a rotary
- Right turn in a two-lane rotary
- Going straight in a two-lane rotary
- Three-quarter turns and U-turns in a rotary
- One-lane rotary
Show all 19
- Missed your rotary exit: go around again
- Roundabouts: 25 mph or less
- No signs or signals: yield to the right
- Two vehicles at once: the one on the right goes
- Four-way stops
- Smaller road yields to a bigger one
- Turning left
- Leaving a driveway or private road: stop first
- Merging onto a highway
- Pedestrians when your light turns green
- Pedestrians who are blind
- Car stopped at a crosswalk
- Right of way is given, not taken
Sources
Massachusetts Driver's Manual
Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026.
We read these sources and wrote this guide in our own words. The RMV has the final word, and rules change, so check anything important with the RMV before your appointment.