All-Way Plaque: Meaning and What to Do
The small red plaque reading ALL WAY is mounted under a stop sign to tell you that every approach to the intersection has one. Without it, a stop sign controls only your approach, and cross traffic may not be stopping at all.
All-Way Plaque
The plaque changes how you proceed. At an all-way stop, right of way goes to the vehicle that stopped first; when two stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. At a two-way stop, by contrast, you must wait for the uncontrolled cross traffic to clear no matter who arrived first.
What to do when you see the all-way plaque
Come to a complete stop, note the order in which vehicles arrived, and proceed in turn. If you and another driver stopped together, yield to the one on your right. If you are unsure whether the others have a stop sign, look for the plaque under yours; if it is absent, assume cross traffic does not stop and wait for a real gap.
The signs it is confused with
Tests pair it with the Cross Traffic Does Not Stop plaque, which warns of the opposite situation, and with the four-way stop rule questions themselves. Older 4-WAY plaques mean the same thing; ALL WAY is the current standard wording.
Signs are one topic of ten on every test
Every state practice test covers signs, signals, and markings among its ten topics, with every answer explained. Pick your state and see how its exam asks about signs like this one; it is free, with no sign-up.
Choose your stateQuestions about the all-way plaque
What does the all way plaque mean?
Every approach to the intersection has a stop sign. Vehicles proceed in the order they stopped, and ties go to the driver on the right.
Who goes first at an all-way stop?
The driver who stopped first. If two stop at the same moment, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
What if there is no plaque under my stop sign?
Assume cross traffic does not stop. Wait for a gap large enough to cross or turn safely rather than expecting others to yield.
Is a four-way plaque the same thing?
Yes. Older signs say 4-WAY; the standard now is ALL WAY, which also covers three-way and five-way intersections.
How does this plaque appear on the written test?
In right-of-way scenarios at all-way stops, which are among the most frequently asked questions on every state's exam.