The yield sign is commonly found, often placed in places where you’re expected to be cautious of traffic and yield the right of way to other vehicles or pedestrians.
It might sound simple, but the yield sign could be the difference between buttery-smooth traffic flow, or a huge accident waiting to happen!
What Does The Yield Sign Mean?
If you notice a yield sign on the road, it’s meant to instruct you to slow down and give the right of way to other road users. This could include other vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians. You would usually notice the yield sign located at intersections, roundabouts, or merging lanes.
When you spot the yield sign, it signals that you have to yield to oncoming traffic and ensure it is safe to proceed before moving forward. However, unlike stop signs, where you’ll have to stop completely, the yield sign only suggests that you’ll have to stop only if it’s necessary, typically if there’s other traffic that has the right of way.
- TL;DR – If there is no other oncoming road traffic approaching, you can now proceed forward without stopping, but make sure you’re prepared to slow down or stop if need be.
What Does It Look Like?
The yield sign is shown as a red-and-white inverted triangle, with the word “YIELD” printed very clearly in bold, red letters across the center. The border is red, while the inside is white, which is meant to ensure maximum visibility, even if you’re looking at it from far away.
Also, the triangular shape of the yield sign helps to make it stand out more compared to most other road signs. Meanwhile, the inverted triangle has a subtle design cue, as well. Unlike an octagonal stop sign, which demands your full attention and a complete stop, the softer triangle of a yield sign suggests a more conditional action.
Where Are They Found?
You’ll normally find yield signs placed at intersections where a full stop may not be necessary, but caution is still required. Here’s where you’ll normally find these yield signs:
- Roundabouts – Meant to signal to drivers entering the roundabout circle to give way to traffic already within it.
- Merging Lanes – When two lanes are merging into one, yield signs indicate that drivers from one lane must allow traffic from the other lane to proceed before joining.
- Intersections – Usually only seen in intersections without traffic lights, yield signs help to make drivers slow down and give way to others who have the right of way.
What To Do
When you’re approaching a yield sign, it’s important for you to be aware of your surroundings and be ready to take action depending on the scenario. Here’s what you should be doing:
- Slow down when you’re coming across a yield sign. This way, you have enough time to assess your surroundings and decide what to do.
- Ensure that you look for oncoming traffic, like using your mirrors, and check for any blind spots. You also have to make sure that you check both sides of the road and keep an eye out for any other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and remember who has the right of way.
- Even though a full stop isn’t always required when you come across a yield sign, you have to be prepared to stop if another vehicle or pedestrian is approaching. Otherwise, if traffic is clear, you can proceed slowly without having to completely halt.
- Alternatively, if there is oncoming traffic, you have to give the right of way to those vehicles or pedestrians. This means you have to wait until it’s safe to merge or continue driving without disrupting the flow of traffic.
What To (Not) Do
Nonetheless, while the rules around the yield sign are pretty clear, some motorists and drivers continue to make mistakes when coming across one. Here are some of the many mistakes that you should avoid repeating:
- Some folks treat the yield sign like a stop sign. In other words, you’d stop unnecessarily, even when the road ahead is clear. Remember, yield signs don’t require you to completely stop and halt unless there’s oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
- Another common mistake that you could make is approaching a yield sign far too quickly and not slowing down enough. This could lead to near-misses or unsafe merges, particularly when you’re at a busy intersection or high-traffic area, possibly even causing an accident.
- There are also drivers out there that – unintentionally or not – fail to properly yield the right of way. I’ve noticed that this usually happens at roundabouts or merging lanes, which can cause traffic flow disruptions or even lead to accidents.