What Are the Right of Way Rules in Ontario?

An uncontrolled intersection has no traffic lights or stop signs. The rules are straightforward: yield to any vehicle that is already in the intersection, and if you arrive at the same time as another vehicle, yield to the vehicle on your right. At a T-intersection (where one road ends), vehicles on the through road always have right of way over vehicles on the road that ends.

At a four-way stop, the vehicle that arrives and stops first goes first. If two vehicles arrive at the same time on opposite sides of the intersection, the vehicle going straight has right of way over the vehicle turning left. If two vehicles arrive at the same time from perpendicular directions, the vehicle on the right goes first. Always come to a complete stop before the stop line.

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight and to pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into. A driver turning right must yield to pedestrians crossing the road and to cyclists. Even if you have a green light, you must yield to pedestrians and cyclists who are lawfully in the intersection.

Pedestrians have the right of way at marked crosswalks, pedestrian crossovers (PXOs), and at intersections (with or without a marked crosswalk). You must yield to a pedestrian who is on or about to enter the roadway at a crosswalk. A pedestrian crossing mid-block when a marked crosswalk is nearby is on the pedestrian, but you must still avoid hitting them. Failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk carries a fine of $150-$500 and 3 demerit points. Cyclists riding in a designated bike lane have the right of way over turning vehicles.

When an emergency vehicle (police, fire, ambulance) is approaching with lights and sirens activated, you must pull to the right side of the road and stop until it passes. This rule applies only to emergency vehicles coming in your direction. You are not required to stop for emergency vehicles in opposing lanes, though slowing and being cautious is good practice.