Driving Tests

Rhode Island Rotary and Four-Way Stop Rules: Who Goes First?

informational·how to guide·Published April 3, 2026

Who has the right of way at a rotary and a four-way stop in Rhode Island?

At a Rhode Island rotary, you must yield to all vehicles already in the rotary, whichever road you come from, and you drive only to the right of the island. At a four-way stop, stop first, then yield to pedestrians and to vehicles in or very near the intersection. If two vehicles enter at about the same time, the driver on the left yields. The scheduled fine is $100.

Where these Rhode Island rules come from

Rhode Island sets the rotary rule in R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-17-8 and the equal-timing rule in R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-17-1. The fines come from the schedule of violations in § 31-41.1-4. The stop sign rules come from §§ 31-17-4 and 31-20-9, the turning rule from § 31-17-2, the through highway rule from § 31-17-3 and the island rule from § 31-15-10. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.ri.gov) before you drive.

Who yields at a Rhode Island rotary?

The driver who is about to enter the rotary yields. When no sign or traffic control device says otherwise, every vehicle that is already in the rotary goes before you. This holds whichever road you come in on, so a car that is already circling has the right-of-way over you. The state traffic commission decides where yield signs go at rotaries.

How to drive around a rotary

As you come to the entrance, look for a sign or signal and for vehicles already in the rotary.
Yield to every vehicle already in the rotary. Enter only after you have yielded.
Drive only to the right of the center island. Never go around its left side.
If a sign or signal controls the entrance, obey it. It comes before the basic rotary rule.

Rotary fines in Rhode Island

Rotary fines in Rhode Island
What happens	Penalty (U.S. dollars)
You fail to yield to a vehicle already in the rotary (§ 31-17-8)	$100
You drive around the left side of the rotary island (§ 31-15-10)	$100
Your failure to yield at a rotary causes bodily injury to another person (§ 31-17-8)	$200
Your failure to yield at a rotary causes serious bodily injury to another person (§ 31-17-8)	$500 and a 3-month license suspension
Your failure to yield at a rotary causes the death of another person (§ 31-17-8)	$1,000 and a 1-year license suspension

What counts as serious bodily injury?

Serious bodily injury is an injury that creates a substantial risk of death, causes serious disfigurement, or causes long-lasting loss or impairment of a body part or organ. The higher penalties apply only when the person hurt is someone other than the driver who broke the rule. If you want to test the entry rule, try the practice question on yielding at a single-lane rotary.

How to stop at a four-way stop

1
Stop at the right place
Stop at a clearly marked stop line or before the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is no line or crosswalk, stop at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where you can see approaching traffic.
2
Yield to pedestrians
After you stop, yield to any pedestrian who intends to cross your lane in a crosswalk.
3
Yield to vehicles in or very near the intersection
Yield to any vehicle that has already entered the intersection from another road, or that is so close that it is an immediate hazard.
4
Go when it is clear
Move forward only after you have yielded to everyone in steps 2 and 3. A police officer or a traffic-control signal can direct you to go instead.

Who goes first when drivers arrive together?

Two vehicles enter the intersection from different roads at about the same time

The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-17-1).

A vehicle has already entered the intersection from another road

You yield to that vehicle, even if it came from your left.

You turn left or right

You signal as the law requires and yield to oncoming vehicles that are in the intersection or so close as to be an immediate hazard. You also yield to a pedestrian who intends to cross in the crosswalk on your turning path.

You enter a through highway from a side road

You stop at the entrance and yield to vehicles that have entered the intersection from the through highway or are so close that they are an immediate hazard. Then you may go, and drivers on the through highway must yield to you.

Yield signs and the "yield to the right" rule in Rhode Island

At a yield sign, slow down to a speed that is reasonable for the conditions, and stop if you must for safety. Then yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to vehicles in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. Practice it with the question about a yield sign where your road joins a busier road.

The "yield to the right" rule of § 31-17-1 applies when two vehicles enter an intersection from different roads at about the same time. The law changes it at through highways and in the other cases that chapter 17 states. The title of § 31-17-1 names intersections without signs or signals, so confirm the four-way stop rule with the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. The practice question about arriving at the same time at an uncontrolled intersection shows how it works.

Intersection fines in Rhode Island

Intersection fines in Rhode Island
Violation	Scheduled fine (U.S. dollars)
Failure to yield the right-of-way (§ 31-17-1)	$100
Turning left or right without yielding (§ 31-17-2)	$100
Not obeying a stop sign (§ 31-17-4 or § 31-20-9)	$100
A violation of § 31-17-1, § 31-17-2 or § 31-17-4 that causes bodily injury to another person	$200
The same violation when it causes serious bodily injury to another person	$500 and a 3-month license suspension
The same violation when it causes the death of another person	$1,000 and a 1-year license suspension

Key takeaways

At a rotary, you yield to all vehicles already in it, from any direction. Drive only to the right of the island.
At a stop sign, stop at the line or crosswalk, then yield to pedestrians and to vehicles in or very near the intersection.
When two vehicles enter an intersection at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
The scheduled fine for failing to yield at a rotary or for a stop sign violation is $100. If another person is hurt or killed, the fine rises to $200, $500 or $1,000, and the $500 and $1,000 fines come with a license suspension.
Next step: practice right-of-way questions on the free Rhode Island operator license practice test.

Rhode Island rotary and four-way stop: common questions

Do you have the right of way when you enter a rotary in Rhode Island?

No. Where no sign or signal says otherwise, the driver who enters the rotary yields to all vehicles already in it, whichever road that driver comes from. Once you are inside the rotary, drivers who wait to enter must yield to you.

Who goes first at a four-way stop in Rhode Island?

Stop first, then yield to pedestrians and to any vehicle that is in the intersection or so close that it is an immediate hazard. If two vehicles enter the intersection from different roads at about the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. This is the general rule of § 31-17-1, so confirm it with the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.

How much is the fine for failing to yield at a rotary in Rhode Island?

The scheduled fine is $100. If your failure to yield causes bodily injury to another person, the fine is $200. Serious bodily injury brings a $500 fine and a 3-month license suspension. A death brings a $1,000 fine and a 1-year suspension.

Which side of the island do you drive on in a Rhode Island rotary?

You drive only to the right of the rotary island. If you go around the left side of the island, you break the rotary island law (§ 31-15-10). The scheduled fine is $100, the same as the fine for failing to yield at a rotary.

Can a police officer or a signal change who goes first?

Yes. You do not have to stop at a stop sign when a police officer or a traffic-control signal directs you to go. Follow the officer or the signal. The basic rotary rule applies where no sign or traffic control device says otherwise.