Driving Tests

Four-Way Stop Rules in Illinois: Who Goes First

informational·how to guide·Published April 17, 2026

Who has the right of way at a four-way stop in Illinois?

The first driver to stop is the first to go, and the other drivers wait their turn. If two vehicles on different roads reach the stop at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Make a complete stop, yield to pedestrians, and go only when it is safe.

Where the Illinois four-way stop rules come from

As of 2026, these rules come from the Illinois Secretary of State's Illinois Rules of the Road handbook and from the Illinois Vehicle Code: 625 ILCS 5/11-901 for vehicles that arrive at about the same time and 625 ILCS 5/11-904 for stop signs. The first-to-stop order and the dark-signal rule come from the 2025 edition of the handbook. Confirm the rules with the Illinois Secretary of State (ilsos.gov) before you drive.

What counts as a four-way (all-way) stop in Illinois

A four-way stop is an intersection with a STOP sign on each approach, so traffic from all directions must stop. Some intersections have a 3-WAY, 5-WAY or ALL-WAY sign under the STOP sign. That sign tells you that every approach has a STOP sign, so the same order applies, whatever the number of roads.

How to take your turn at an Illinois four-way stop

1
Stop in the right place
Make a complete stop at the stop line. With no stop line, stop before the crosswalk. With neither, stop at the point nearest the cross street where you can see its traffic, before you enter the intersection.
2
Look at who arrived first
The first driver to stop is the first to go. Other drivers must wait their turn.
3
Check for a tie
If you and another driver on a different road arrive at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
4
Yield to people already crossing
Give the right of way to pedestrians and to any vehicle that has already entered the intersection.
5
Go when it is safe
When your turn comes and you have yielded, go when there is a safe gap.

Who goes first at an Illinois four-way stop

Who goes first at an Illinois four-way stop
Situation	Who goes first	Rule
Vehicles stop at different times	The driver who stopped first	First to stop is first to go
Two vehicles on different roads arrive at about the same time	The driver on the right	The driver on the left yields
A vehicle has already entered the intersection	That vehicle	You yield after your stop
A pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk	The pedestrian	You stop and yield

A worked example from the Illinois handbook

The handbook's Figure B shows three vehicles, A, B and C, at a four-way stop. Vehicles A and B yield to C because C arrived at the intersection first. The same figure shows A yielding to B because B is on A's right. You can test the first-arrival rule with the free question on who proceeds first at an all-way stop.

Yielding to pedestrians at an Illinois stop sign

After a complete stop at a stop sign, yield to pedestrians before you go. Stop and yield when a pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk, and on school days when children are close to a school zone crosswalk. Also yield when you turn at any intersection, and when a pedestrian is in an unmarked crosswalk on your side of the road with no traffic control signals. Try the free question on a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Special cases at a stop

The traffic signals are dark or not working

Treat the intersection as an all-way stop. Come to a complete stop, then look and yield the right of way before you enter, unless law enforcement directs you otherwise. Try the free question on dark traffic signals.

The signal shows a flashing red light

Stop, yield the right of way to traffic in the intersection or crosswalk, and go when it is safe.

A police officer directs you to proceed

Follow the officer. Under Illinois law, an officer's direction to proceed comes before the stop-sign rule.

Turning left or right at a four-way stop

For a left turn, give a left-turn signal from the proper turning lane and check all approaching traffic. For a right turn, signal from the proper turning lane and check traffic that approaches from the left. For either turn, yield to pedestrians, emergency vehicles and other vehicles in the intersection. Roundabouts follow different rules, and the guide to Illinois roundabout rules explains them.

Key takeaways

At an Illinois four-way stop, the first driver to stop is the first to go. Other drivers wait their turn.
If two vehicles on different roads arrive at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
Stop at the stop line, or before the crosswalk if there is no line. Yield to pedestrians and to vehicles already in the intersection.
When traffic signals are dark, treat the intersection as an all-way stop.
Next step: practice these right-of-way questions on the free Illinois Class D practice test. The practice tests are free and in English only.

Illinois four-way stop: common questions

Can I go at a four-way stop if traffic is backed up past the intersection?

No. Even when it is your turn, do not enter the intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is enough space for other vehicles and pedestrians to pass. Stay at your stop point until there is room, then go when it is safe.

Who goes first at an intersection with no signs in Illinois?

When two vehicles on different roads reach an intersection with no signs or signals at about the same time, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right. At a T intersection with no signs or signals, the driver on the road that ends yields to cross traffic.

Does a temporary or handheld STOP sign count in Illinois?

Yes. A temporary STOP sign that highway authorities put up counts like a permanent one. With a handheld STOP sign, such as one held by a school guard or a construction zone flagger, stay stopped until that person signals that it is safe to go.

How close to a stop sign can I park in Illinois?

Park at least 30 feet back. Illinois bans standing or parking within 30 feet of a STOP sign, a YIELD sign or a traffic control signal. The ban applies whether or not someone is in the vehicle, so you cannot wait there with the driver inside either.