Search

Questions / Everyday road skills

Answer first · reviewed August 2026

What counts as a full stop at a stop sign?

Short answer

The vehicle must stop completely at the correct position before proceeding when it is your turn and safe. A slow wheel is still a moving wheel.

Make it practical

What to do

Pause long enough to scan left, centre, right and any pedestrian conflict.

Easy to miss

The common trap

Following the vehicle ahead through without making your own stop.

Turn knowledge into a habit

How to practise it

Name the hazard you are managing during practice, then repeat the decision in a different location. Good judgment should survive a new street name.

When a rule, road sign or examiner instruction conflicts with an internet tip, use the official rule and the safe decision. The internet has many talents; wearing a reflective examiner vest is not one of them.

Check the answer

Sources and context

OfficialOfficial MTO Driver’s Handbook ↗
Use the current official rule for the final word.

DriverReady explains public information in plain language. Requirements, test formats and procedures can change.

Useful next steps

Put this answer to work

Common mistakesFocus on repeatable safety habits.G2 checklistReview city-driving expectations.Centre-area guidesPractise on varied roads near your centre.

Keep going

Related everyday road skills questions

What does mirror–signal–blind spot mean?Before moving laterally, check the relevant mirrors, signal your intention, check the blind spot and move only when the gap remains safe.Where do I stop if there is no stop line?Stop before the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, stop at the edge of the intersection where you can see traffic without entering its path.Who has right-of-way at an uncontrolled intersection?Slow, observe and apply Ontario’s right-of-way rules; when vehicles arrive together, the vehicle on the right generally proceeds first. Never use right-of-way to justify a collision.Who goes first at a four-way stop?The first vehicle to stop generally goes first. If vehicles stop at the same time, yield to the vehicle on your right; turning movements also affect conflicts.