Florida Stop Sign Rules
Many accidents happen at intersections because motorists do not follow the rules of the road.
A stop sign, or a red light, is a clear indication you need to stop your vehicle. But what other stop sign rules are there?
Below, we sketch
out the most important stop sign rules you should know about. If you fail to
stop and you injure someone, then you could face serious criminal charges.
Stop at the Right Spot
Fla. Stat. § 316.123 tells motorists where they should stop their vehicle at a red light or stop sign—and, surprise, you don’t stop in the intersection! Instead, the law tells you to stop:
- At the clearly marked stop line
- If no line exists, then before entering the
crosswalk - If no crosswalk exists, then at the nearest point
where you can see approaching traffic so that you can enter the intersection
safely
In sum, the law
is telling you not to stop with the front of your vehicle in the intersection
so approaching traffic has to swerve out of the way to avoid a crash.
Yielding the Right of Way
If you are the
only vehicle at the intersection, you can stop and then proceed once you see
the way is clear. But what are the stop sign rules if there are other vehicles
at the intersection?
The law states
that if two or more vehicles stop at the intersection, then the vehicle that
stopped first gets to go through the intersection first. However, if the
vehicles stop at the same time, then the driver on the left yields the right of
way to the vehicle on the right. So if a car travelling north stops at the same
time as a car going west, then the car traveling west goes first, because it is
on the right of the other vehicle.
Right Turn on Red
This law applies to stop lights, not signs, but is a source of confusion so we will deal with it here. Let’s say you are stopped at an intersection on a red light. You think you can make a “right on red” turn. But what are the rules? Let’s look at Fla. Stat. § 316.075.
First, you must
come to a stop, not a “rolling stop.” Stop your vehicle as you would at a stop
sign (see above). Then, you must yield the right of way to pedestrians in the
crosswalk directly in front of you. You also must yield to pedestrians in the
crosswalk to your right.
Violations: How Many Points on Your Record?
Stop sign infractions are usually noncriminal moving violations. You will have to pay a fine. However, you could also have points added to your driving record. Failure to obey a traffic sign will add 3 points to your record.
If these points will lead to a license suspension, you should talk with an attorney at Skubiak & Rivas, P.A. We have helped countless people keep their licenses, and we would be glad to meet with you. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, contact us today.
