Road signs

Stop & Yield Signs

Recognizing stop and yield signs by shape and colour.

Stop completely at a stop sign whether or not traffic is present, and slow to a speed that lets you stop at a yield sign whenever another road user is close enough to conflict with you.

A stop sign and a yield sign both hand you the right of way to someone else, but they ask for different actions. Learn to tell the shape apart at a glance so you never have to read the word up close.

Key facts

A stop sign is eight-sided with white letters on a red background: Ontario’s only octagonal sign, so its shape alone tells you to stop even if the word is obscured.
A yield sign is an inverted (point-down) triangle with a white background and red border.

Ontario stop sign, an eight-sided red sign with white letters — Stop: come to a complete stop at the line, every time.

Ontario yield sign, a white and red inverted triangle — Yield: slow down and give way if another road user is close.

Stop completely, every time

At a stop sign you must come to a complete stop at the marked stop line, or if there is none, at the crosswalk, or if there is neither, at the point closest to the intersecting road where you have a clear view of approaching traffic. This applies even when the intersection looks empty: the stop is required by the sign, not by the presence of another vehicle.

Once stopped, proceed only when it is safe: check for cross traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists, and follow the standard right-of-way rules for whoever else is stopped or arriving at the intersection.

Yield without necessarily stopping

A yield sign means slow down and be prepared to stop if needed: you must let traffic already in or close to the intersection go first. If the way is clear when you reach it, you may proceed without coming to a full stop.

Because a yield sign gives you a judgment call instead of a fixed action, approach it at a speed that still lets you stop in time. Misjudging a gap at a yield sign is a common source of collisions for new drivers.

Read what is added to the sign

A tab mounted below a stop or yield sign, such as "4-way," "all way," or a directional arrow, can change how many approaches share the control or which lane it governs. Always read the full sign, not just its main shape.

A stop or yield control can also appear at a location that is not a full intersection, such as the end of a private road or a ramp merging with a controlled road; the same complete-stop or slow-and-check rule applies there too.

Common mistakes

Rolling through a stop sign at low speed because the intersection appears clear.
Treating a yield sign as optional because the shape is unfamiliar.
Ignoring a "4-way" or "all-way" tab and assuming only your approach has to stop.
Stopping past the marked stop line, into the crosswalk or intersection itself.

Check your understanding

1. You approach a stop sign and see no other traffic in any direction. Do you still need to stop?

Yes. A stop sign requires a complete stop at the stop line regardless of whether other traffic is visible.

2. What does a yield sign require if the intersection is clear as you approach?

You may proceed without a full stop, but you must still slow enough to stop if a vehicle, cyclist, or pedestrian is close enough to conflict with you.

3. A stop sign has a tab reading "all way" mounted below it. What does that tell you?

Every approach to that intersection has its own stop sign, so all-way-stop arrival-order rules apply, not just your own approach.