Here in Colorado, we encounter four-way stops lining quiet residential streets, school zones, and rural crossroads. While they keep traffic moving safely, they can lead to fender-benders, frustrated drivers, citations when drivers aren’t sure who has the right of way.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from basic right-of-way rules and Colorado statutes to real-world defensive driving tips that help you breeze through any four-way stop.
Quick Answer: Colorado Driver’s Guide to Four-Way Intersections
At a Colorado four-way stop, you must come to a complete stop and yield to vehicles with the right-of-way. Proceed in arrival order; if tied, yield to the vehicle on your right.
A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be an immediate hazard. This means opposing straight-through traffic, and sometimes right turns, may proceed before a left turn when they’ve arrived at the same time.
What Is a Four-Way Stop?
A four-way stop is an intersection where every approach is controlled by a stop sign or flashing red light. In Colorado, these come straight from the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the Colorado Supplement, ensuring every stop sign looks and behaves the same.
We see four-way stops on quiet neighborhood streets, around schools, and at rural crossroads, places where traffic engineers decide a full stop is safer than a traffic signal. You’ll know one by the four stop signs facing each direction.
Basic Right-of-Way Rules at Four-Way Stops
Navigating a four-way stop boils down to clear steps. Follow these rules every time:
- Complete Stop and Initial Positioning
- Come to a complete stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or before entering the intersection.
- If there’s no line, stop where you can see oncoming traffic.
- Signal continuously for at least 100 ft before turning in town, and 200 ft on four-lane roads or where the speed limit is over 40 mph. If your signal cancels during a stop, re-activate it before moving.
- Order of Arrival (“First-Come, First-Served”)
- The first vehicle to stop gets to go first.
- Even if you’re turning or going straight, don’t budge until you’ve fully stopped.
- Tie-Breaker: Yield to the Right
- If multiple vehicles arrive at the same time, yield to the vehicle on your right. Some drivers use a clockwise pattern as a helpful guide, but Colorado law only specifies yielding to the right.
- Proceed in a clockwise order—rightmost vehicle first.
- Simultaneous Opposing Traffic
- Two opposite vehicles going straight may proceed at the same time when safe and when their paths don’t conflict.
- If one is turning and one is going straight, the straight-through traffic goes first.
- Drivers making left turns must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to present a hazard, which means straight-through traffic and right turns proceed first.
- Special Scenarios
- Four-vehicle stalemate: nobody has statutory priority. Use eye contact, headlights, or hand gestures, and if all four vehicles arrive exactly at the same time, drivers should communicate with eye contact and allow one vehicle to proceed first, since Colorado law only provides the ‘yield to the right’ rule, which cannot resolve a perfect four-way tie.
- Flashing red signals are treated exactly like stop signs, every driver stops and yields in order.
Colorado-Specific Statutes & Official Guidance
Colorado law and official manuals give you a clear roadmap for four-way stops:
- CRS 42-4-703 (“Stop or Yield Intersection”)
- Requires a full stop at the limit line, crosswalk, or visible point before entering.
- Defines yield obligations when merging into traffic.
- CRS 42-4-709 (“Stop When Traffic Obstructed”)
- Prohibits entering an intersection or crosswalk unless there’s room on the far side.
- Violation: Class A infraction plus fines and DMV points.
- Colorado MUTCD Adoption (CDOT)
- Ensures all stop signs and flashing reds follow national standards for visibility, size, and placement.
- Colorado Driver Handbook
- Reinforces first-come, first-served and yield-to-right rules for learner drivers.
- Local Variations
- Some municipalities add pavement legends (“ALL-WAY”) or overhead beacons, always obey posted devices.
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Even seasoned drivers slip up at four-way stops. Watch out for these pitfalls:
Rolling Stops
- Mistake: Inching forward without a full stop.
- Fix: Count a full three seconds at every stop line.
Blocking the Box
- Mistake: Entering when the downstream lane is jammed.
- Fix: Look through the intersection, go only if you can clear it.
Late or Missing Signals
- Mistake: Forgetting to indicate your turn.
- Fix: Signal continuously for at least 100 feet before turning in town and 200 feet on four-lane roads or where the speed limit is over 40 mph. If your signal cancels while stopped, re-activate it before moving.
Misreading Arrival Order
- Mistake: Thinking someone arrived before you.
- Fix: Slow to confirm vehicle positions; make eye contact.
Assuming Aggressive Drivers Yield
- Mistake: Expecting others to back off.
- Fix: Assert your right-of-way only when legally yours; let them go first if in doubt.
Enforcement, Penalties & Ticket Defense in Colorado
When four-way stop rules go unmet, Colorado takes enforcement seriously:
Failure to Stop or Yield (CRS 42-4-703)
- Class A infraction: Penalties – Failure to stop or yield at a 4-way stop (CRS 42-4-703): Class A infraction, $70 fine + $10 surcharge (additional court costs possible). Points: typically 4 for stop-sign violations; 3 for failure-to-yield.
- Common ticketed offense: rolling stops and ignoring the yield order
Blocking the Intersection (CRS 42-4-709)
- Class A infraction: typically assessed at $70 + $10 surcharge (court costs possible). Points may apply as a moving violation.
- “Don’t block the box”: You must clear the intersection before entering
DMV Point Thresholds
- 12 points in 12 months or 18 in 24 months can trigger license suspension
- If you pay a penalty assessment on time, points are reduced by statute: – 2 points for violations carrying 3 or more points, and –1 point for 2-point violations.. Courts or the DMV may also order driver improvement courses, but taking a course alone does not automatically reduce points statewide.
Common Legal Defenses
- Emergency maneuvers (e.g., swerving to avoid a crash)
- Signage obscured by foliage or vandalism
- Officer error (wrong vehicle cited)
For ticket payment, defense filings, or court dates, visit the Colorado Judicial Branch’s online case lookup.
Final Thoughts on Understanding Colorado’s Four-Way Stop Laws
We’ve covered the nuts and bolts of Colorado’s four-way stops. For more detail, consult the Colorado Driver Handbook, CDOT’s MUTCD Supplement, and your city’s traffic engineering web pages. If you’d like to build extra confidence on the road, you can also take an online course that reviews traffic laws, right-of-way rules, and defensive driving strategies. Remember, learning doesn’t stop once you’ve got your license, staying sharp with the rules of the road is what keeps you and everyone around you safe.