Wisconsin Driving School

Any person who is convicted of a Failure to Yield violation or certain other Right-of-Way violations is required to successfully complete a Right-of-Way course.

• When the violation results in no harm or bodily harm, the course must be completed within 6 months or your operating privilege will be suspended up to 5 years.
• When the violation results in great bodily harm, suspension will be for 3 months.
• When the violation results in death to another person, suspension will be for 9 months.

Wisconsin Failure to Yield and Right-of-Way Laws

As we have outlined above, in Wisconsin, failure to yield to oncoming traffic can mean stiff penalties. That’s because the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Department of Transportation (DOT) have enacted specific Wisconsin right-of-way laws. If you break any of these laws, you’ll need to take a failure to yield course ? and you might even have your license suspended. 

What Wisconsin DMV gov right-of-way laws do you need to know as a driver in the Badger State? And what do you do if you’re cited with a failure to yield to oncoming traffic? Find out here. 

Wisconsin DMV Gov right-of-way

Chapter 346 of the Wisconsin Statutes outlines the statewide rules of the road. Subchapter III, Section 346.18 speaks to specific Wisconsin DMV gov right-of-way laws. Here are the rules you need to know:

• Going straight at intersections: The first vehicle to get there has the right of way. If two vehicles approach at the same time, the vehicle to the left should yield the right-of-way to the driver on the right. 
• Turning left or making U-turns at intersections: You have to yield the right-of-way to any driver approaching from the opposite direction.
• Highways and T intersections: Stop before entering the highway or road that forms of the top of the T and yield to any oncoming traffic.
• Yield signs: No surprise here: you’re supposed to yield to all oncoming traffic. 
• Roundabouts: Yield to any vehicles in the roundabout.

As a general rule of thumb, if you’ve been stopped or are pulling out of an alley or driveway, you also need to yield. Also, pedestrians always have the right of way. 

If you want to learn more about Wisconsin DMV gov right-of-way laws, skip to page 24 of the Wisconsin Driver’s Book. It outlines all of these rules in detail. 

A failure to yield to oncoming traffic or a pedestrian could land you with a citation. And that means taking a right-of-way course. 

What happens after a failure to yield to oncoming traffic

If you break any of the Wisconsin right-of-way laws, you’ll get cited with a failure to yield. And that means penalties, but the severity of those penalties vary based on damage your failure to yield caused. 

As of December 2, 2017, these are the rules that apply if you’re cited with a failure to yield to oncoming traffic or a pedestrian:

• If you don’t cause any bodily harm: You have to take a right-of-way course within six months or your license will be suspended for up to 5 years. 
• If you cause bodily harm: Your license gets suspended for three months and you need to complete a right-of-way course. 
• If you cause a fatality: Your license gets suspended for nine months and you need to complete a right-of-way course.

With all this right-of-way course talk, you’re probably wondering what, exactly, this class entails. Good news: it’s short, affordable, and you can take it online. When you're ready, go to the following link to complete our two-hour WisconsinDMV gov-approved right of way course from your computer, tablet, or phone at any time that’s convenient for you. 

Wisconsin right-of-way laws are specific. If you’re cited with a failure to yield to oncoming traffic, make sure you meet the right-of-way course requirement ASAP.