This chapter covers how to safely share Washington's roads with everyone who uses them — pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, school buses, large trucks, trains, and emergency vehicles. It also covers right-of-way rules at different types of intersections, traffic signals and signs, and road markings that tell you where you can pass or must stay in your lane.
Right-of-way rules are heavily tested: who goes first at a four-way stop, when you must stop for a school bus's flashing red lights, how to yield to bicyclists and motorcyclists, and the minimum 3-foot passing distance required around bicyclists and slow farm vehicles.
A common mistake is treating road markings and signs as optional when traffic looks light — double yellow lines, no-passing zones, and stop lines apply every time, and misjudging a school bus's flashing red lights or trying to beat a train across the tracks can have serious consequences.
What must you do at a four-way stop intersection?⌄
The first vehicle to arrive goes first; if two vehicles arrive at about the same time, yield to the one on the right, and a driver turning left must yield to vehicles going straight or turning right.
How much space must you leave when passing a bicyclist?⌄
Leave at least 3 feet between your vehicle and the bicyclist, move over a full lane if there are two lanes going the same direction, and never pass into oncoming traffic.
What should you do when a school bus's red lights start flashing?⌄
Stop — drivers behind the bus and, on most roads, drivers approaching from the opposite direction must stop until the lights stop flashing and the stop sign retracts; passing a stopped school bus doubles the fine.
