Washington Right-of-Way practice test

Practice who goes first at intersections, crosswalks and roundabouts: 33 questions based on the Washington Driver Guide, 15 of them on Washington's own rules.

Key Washington facts: Right-of-Way

Sample Right-of-Way questions

A bicyclist is riding across the street in a crosswalk as you turn. How should you treat them?

  • As a pedestrian you must yield to
  • As a vehicle that must yield to you
  • As someone breaking the law
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As a pedestrian you must yield to

A bicyclist in a crosswalk counts as a pedestrian, so yield.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.6 Sharing with bicyclists

At an intersection with no signs, you are on a secondary road about to cross a state highway. What must you do?

  • Go first because you are on the right
  • Expect highway traffic to stop
  • Honk and proceed
  • Yield to traffic on the highway
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Yield to traffic on the highway

Drivers entering or crossing a state highway from a secondary road must yield.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.15 Other intersections

You stopped for a school bus. Which signs mean you may go again?

  • Lights off, stop sign pulled in and the arm back at the bumper
  • The children step onto the sidewalk
  • Ten seconds have passed since it stopped
  • The bus driver waves you through
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Lights off, stop sign pulled in and the arm back at the bumper

Wait for all three: the lights stop, the sign retracts and the arm returns. Keep watching for children.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.2 Sharing with school buses

A person using a cane is crossing the street ahead of you. When may you continue?

  • When the light turns green
  • After they have crossed the whole street
  • After you tap your horn
  • Once they clear your lane
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After they have crossed the whole street

For people using a wheelchair, cane or service animal, wait until they have fully crossed.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.1 Sharing with people

A stopped school bus with flashing red lights is on the other side of a road. When may you keep going without stopping?

  • On any road with two lanes
  • Only after 6 p.m.
  • Whenever no children are visible
  • When there are three or more lanes or a median or barrier
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When there are three or more lanes or a median or barrier

Opposite-direction traffic may continue only on roads with three or more lanes or a median or barrier.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.2 Sharing with school buses

You are leaving a gravel road onto a paved road with no signs. Who must yield?

  • Traffic on the paved road must yield
  • Whoever is going faster
  • You must yield
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You must yield

Coming from an unpaved road onto a paved one, you give up the right-of-way.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.15 Other intersections

In a highway work zone, a construction vehicle with flashing yellow lights pulls in front of you. What must you do?

  • Yield to it
  • Pass it quickly
  • Flash your high beams at it
  • Honk until it moves
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Yield to it

Drivers must yield to workers, equipment and vehicles with flashing yellow lights in work zones.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.12 Signs

A school bus ahead stops with its red lights flashing. May you use the center turn lane to get around it?

  • Yes, if no children are visible
  • Yes, at low speed
  • Yes, if you signal first
  • No, drivers in turn lanes must stop too
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No, drivers in turn lanes must stop too

Passing a stopped school bus from a center turn lane is not allowed.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.2 Sharing with school buses

You are driving on an ocean beach in Washington where driving is allowed. Who has the right-of-way?

  • Vehicles, because the beach is a highway
  • The faster vehicle
  • Pedestrians and bicyclists, at all times
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Pedestrians and bicyclists, at all times

On the beach, people walking or biking always go first.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.20 Maritime

A pedestrian is crossing in front of you on a multilane street. When may you drive on?

  • As soon as they leave your lane
  • When they look at you
  • When they have cleared your lane and one more lane
  • When they reach the center line
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When they have cleared your lane and one more lane

Wait until the person is past your lane and the next one before you move.

Source: Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 4, 4.1 Sharing with people

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About these questions

We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the Washington Driver Guide (PDF 520-400 (R/4/25), July 2025, linked from https://dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/driver-training-and-testing/driver-guides, read 2026-11-07 edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.

DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL), and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.