Everyone is familiar with stop signs. Even those who don’t drive know what this important sign signals. However, while everyone knows how important they are, not everyone knows how to properly follow them. Doing so can help you stay safe, and avoid some hefty fines in the process…
Stop Signs: Practice Proper Procedure
Slow down ahead of time
Stop signs indicate that you’ll need to stop driving for a moment up ahead. However, you shouldn’t just slam on the brakes as soon as you get to the sign. For starters, that’ll potentially do some serious damage over time to your car’s brakes. Plus, it could cause those behind you to accidentally hit you due to the sudden stop.
As a result, it’s much safer to begin slowing down ahead of time. Once you see a sign coming up, take your foot off the gas and switch to the brakes. However, gradually apply pressure to the pedal. That way, you’ll slow down enough to ensure you’ll have a smooth stop.
Stop properly
A lot of people like to try and “cheat” stop signs. Many people practice what’s known as the “rolling stop”. This is when you slow down just to the verge of stopping, and then keep going through the sign. Of course, not only is this illegal, it is also pretty dangerous, as you could accidentally roll out into someone who though you were fully stopping.
That’s why you should always come to a full stop, even if the coast seems clear. You want to make sure that you stop in front of the sign, so your car isn’t ahead of it. Keep in mind also that you’re supposed to stop for 3 full seconds before moving again.
Understand the right-of-way
Confusion over who has the right-of-way commonly leads to accidents. Many times, this confusion arises due to stop signs. This is especially apparent at intersections, like a four-way. However, the concept is actually very straightforward.
When you are at a stop sign, you give the right-of-way to those who arrived before you. Since they stopped first, they’re also the first to go on ahead. If you’re turning onto a main road, then you just have to wait for a break in the traffic.