Right of Way & Intersections — New York
New York permit practice test: 488 free practice questions (128 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). Official test format: Class D: 20 Q, pass 14 incl. >=2 of 4 sign Qs. Right of Way & Intersections: 26 questions.
Who goes first at intersections, roundabouts, merges and uncontrolled crossings.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Right of Way & Intersections |
| License test | New York Car learner's permit test (Class D) |
| Topic questions | 26 (5% of 488 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
dmv.ny.gov ✓ Verified from official source
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Questions (26)
1. An intersection has a stop sign and a crosswalk, but no stop line. You must stop:
- Before the crosswalk ✓
- 50 feet before the intersection
- Where you think the stop line would be
- With your front wheels in the crosswalk
Answer: A. Before the crosswalk
You must stop before the crosswalk when there is a stop sign and no stop line. The handbook says a stop sign means a full stop, and where a stop line is painted you stop before it. When there is no stop line, the rule shifts to the crosswalk: you stop before you enter it. So at an intersection with a sign and crosswalk markings but no line, the crosswalk edge is your stopping point, and you then yield to vehicles and pedestrians in or approaching the intersection.
2. You are waiting in the intersection to complete a left turn. You should:
- Signal and keep your wheels turned to the left
- Signal and keep your wheels straight ✓
- Flash your headlights so the driver will let you through
- Drive around the rear of a car if it blocks you
Answer: B. Signal and keep your wheels straight
You should signal and keep your wheels straight while waiting in the intersection to complete a left turn. The handbook says that when you enter an intersection to prepare for a left turn, you should keep your wheels straight. That way, if your vehicle is hit from behind, it will not be pushed into oncoming traffic. You still signal your turn and wait for approaching traffic to clear or stop, then complete the turn when it is safe. The key detail is the wheel position while you wait: straight, not turned toward the left.
3. You must yield the right-of-way to an approaching vehicle when you are:
- Already in a traffic circle
- Already in an intersection
- Going straight ahead
- Turning left ✓
Answer: D. Turning left
4. You want to turn left at an intersection. The light is green but oncoming traffic is heavy. You should:
- Use the next intersection
- Wait at the crosswalk for traffic to clear
- Wait in the center of the intersection for traffic to clear ✓
- Take the right-of-way since you have the light
Answer: C. Wait in the center of the intersection for traffic to clear
You should wait in the center of the intersection for oncoming traffic to clear before completing the left turn. The handbook says that when the light is green and no vehicle ahead of you is also waiting to turn left, you may enter the intersection to get ready for your left turn. It also says a left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right. So you move into the intersection, keep your wheels straight, and wait for a safe gap before completing the turn.
5. You come to an intersection which is blocked by other traffic. You should:
- Go slowly until the traffic ahead moves
- Get as close as possible to the other car
- Stay out of the intersection until you can pass through ✓
- Sound your horn to make the cars move up
Answer: C. Stay out of the intersection until you can pass through
You should stay out of the intersection until you can pass through completely. The manual says you cannot enter an intersection when traffic is backed up on the far side and you would not be able to get completely through. It tells you to wait until traffic ahead clears so you do not block the intersection. That makes staying back until there is room the correct choice. The passage also warns that blocking an intersection can cause gridlock, so you should not creep in hoping the cars move.
6. What should you do when you are going to enter a roadway from a private road?
- Blow your horn to warn cars you are entering the roadway
- Stop with part of the car on the roadway to warn other drivers
- Drive out fast to merge smoothly with the traffic
- Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and roadway traffic ✓
Answer: D. Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and roadway traffic
When entering a roadway from a private road, you must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and roadway traffic. The New York manual says a vehicle entering a roadway from a driveway, alley, private road, or other place that is not a roadway must stop and yield the right-of-way to traffic on the roadway and to pedestrians. That matches yielding to pedestrians and roadway traffic. The manual does not tell you to warn drivers with your horn, stop partly in the roadway, or drive out fast; it says to stop and give way before entering.
7. You want to turn right at the next intersection. You should begin to use your turn signal:
- At least 50 feet before the turn
- When you reach the intersection
- At least 100 feet before you turn ✓
- As soon as you see cars behind you
Answer: C. At least 100 feet before you turn
Begin using your turn signal at least 100 feet before the right turn. The New York manual says you must signal a turn at least 100 feet ahead, and it explains that signaling lets other highway users know what you intend to do. For a right turn, that means starting the signal well before the intersection, not as you arrive. It also suggests signaling before you brake when that is possible, so people behind you get early warning. The handbook's 100-foot lead is what makes the choice with that distance correct.
8. You have the right of way when you are:
- Entering a traffic circle
- Backing out of a driveway
- Leaving a parking space
- Already in a traffic circle ✓
Answer: D. Already in a traffic circle
You have the right of way when you are already in a traffic circle, because the driver approaching the circle has to yield to you. The manual's right-of-way section says plainly that a driver who comes up to a traffic circle or rotary must yield the right-of-way to the drivers who are already in the circle. So the car inside the circle keeps moving and the car waiting at the edge waits. That is the only one of these situations the handbook describes as a right-of-way for you; the manual puts the entering driver in the yielding position, not the driver already circulating.
9. The law that requires every driver to exercise care to avoid colliding with an authorized emergency or hazard vehicle is called:
- Brianna’s Law
- The Green Light Law
- Move Over Law ✓
- Right of Way
Answer: C. Move Over Law
The law is the Move Over Law. The handbook describes a rule for drivers who approach an authorized emergency or hazard vehicle that is stopped on the shoulder or any part of the road with its warning lights on. Drivers must slow down, and on multi-lane controlled-access roads they must also move out of the lane next to that vehicle when it is safe. This care-and-move-over requirement is what the question calls the Move Over Law.
10. When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, which vehicle must yield the right-of-way?
- Either one
- Vehicle on the left ✓
- Vehicle on the right
- Neither one
Answer: B. Vehicle on the left
The vehicle on the left must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. The manual addresses intersections that are not controlled by signs or signals, and also the case where two drivers stop at STOP signs at the same time at right angles. In those situations, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right, so the car coming from the right goes first. The manual's example makes this concrete: if you are stopped and another driver is stopped on your right, both going straight, you wait and let that driver go ahead.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · 128 official sample questions · Official driver handbook