Right of Way in Ontario, Explained Simply

Right of way is one of the most tested topics on the G1, and one of the most misunderstood on the road. The confusion comes from a simple mistake in language: right of way is something you give, not something you take. The rules exist to decide who yields, not who gets to force their way through. Get that idea straight and most right-of-way questions answer themselves.

Uncontrolled intersections

At an intersection with no signs or lights, the rule is to yield to the vehicle on your right. If two cars reach the intersection at about the same time, the one on the left waits. If you clearly got there first, you can proceed, but only when it is safe. When in doubt, yield. No one ever failed a test or caused a crash by being too willing to let the other driver go.

Turning left

When you turn left, you yield to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into. Oncoming drivers going straight or turning right have the right of way. Wait for a genuine gap rather than a hopeful one, and never assume an oncoming driver will slow down for you.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians almost always have the right of way at crossings, and at a pedestrian crossover you must stop and yield the whole road until they have finished crossing. You also cannot pass another vehicle that has stopped for a crossover. Treat every crosswalk as active, because a person stepping off the curb will not lose an argument with a car, but they will get hurt.

Emergency vehicles

When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights or siren, pull as far to the right as you safely can and stop until it has passed. On a one-way road, pull to the nearest curb. Clearing a path quickly is not just courtesy, it is the law, and it can be the difference in someone else’s emergency.

Roundabouts and merging

Two situations follow the same logic: yield to traffic that is already there. Entering a roundabout, you yield to vehicles already in the circle and wait for a safe gap. Merging onto a highway, you yield to traffic already on it and match its speed before you join. In both cases the driver arriving yields to the driver already established.

The one principle to remember

Every rule above is a version of the same idea: right of way is given to avoid conflict, not claimed to win it. If you are ever unsure who goes first, yielding is almost never the wrong choice. Drive as though the other person might not follow the rule, and you will be safe even when they are not.

Right of way shows up all over the rules-of-the-road half of the G1. To drill it with real questions and clear explanations, FreeG1 is free, covers every topic on the test, and scores its mock exams exactly like the real thing.

Keep reading: how four-way stops decide who goes and right of way in a roundabout.

Based on the Official MTO Driver’s Handbook, rules of the road. Last reviewed July 2026.