Stopping not as simple as it seems

Through the years, AMA instructors have found that when teaching Professional Driver Improvement courses, one of the most common mistakes a driver will make is not stopping correctly at a stop sign intersection or in other areas where a legal stop is required.

Don't block the intersection

A common myth among many drivers is that you should stop at or behind the stop sign. The problem with this is that stopping in those areas usually means you are blocking the crosswalk, which: 

• Is very unsafe for pedestrians.
• Blocks the view of other drivers that may also be stopped at the intersection.
• Can put the front of your vehicle at risk of getting hit from left turning vehicles.

Without realizing it, many fleet drivers have a habit of not coming to a complete stop at stop sign intersections - the instructor will point it out to the driver only to be told that they thought they had stopped.

Approaching a stop sign

A stop sign means that your vehicle must legally come to a full stop. The following is the correct procedure when approaching a stop sign intersection.

1. Stop at the stop line before a marked crosswalk, or where there is no stop line, stop before the marked crosswalk. If there is no stop line or marked crosswalk at the intersection, you must stop within three metres of the intersecting roadway.

2. Once stopped, scan the intersection for pedestrians and other road users.

3. When safe to do so, continue on your way.

Four-way stop intersections

At four-way stop intersections, also known as "courtesy corners,” all vehicles approaching the intersection are required to come to a complete stop. Safety and courtesy dictate that the vehicle that arrived first, proceeds first. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, courtesy again states that the vehicle on the right be allowed to proceed first.

Keep in mind, you must stop before entering a main road from a service road, lease road, alley, driveway or parking lot. If you see a stop sign at an LRT or railway crossing, you must stop no closer than 5 metres, and no further than 15 metres, from the nearest rail.

Failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign intersection means that you won’t be able to scan the intersection as well as you should. The consequences for this can be deadly.