What is the difference between the stop sign and the yield sign?
4 Answers
The biggest difference between the two is that the yield sign is set up at locations with traffic lights, while the stop sign is set up at locations without traffic lights. Meaning of the stop sign: It indicates that vehicles must stop behind the stop line to observe and confirm safety before being allowed to proceed. It is generally set up at intersections with poor visibility. Meaning of the yield sign: It indicates that vehicles should slow down or stop to yield, informing drivers that they must slow down or stop, observe the traffic on the main road, and proceed only when it is safe to do so, ensuring the priority of vehicles on the main road. It is set up at intersections of secondary roads with good visibility.
After years of driving, I know the difference between stop and yield signs best. The stop sign is a red octagonal board with the word 'Stop' in the middle. When you see it, you must come to a complete halt, like stopping fully at an intersection for three seconds. The yield sign is a blue inverted triangle with the word 'Yield' in the middle. You only need to ease off the accelerator and slow down, without necessarily stopping. The key difference lies in the danger level of the intersection: for example, stop signs are used in blind spots or areas with heavy main road traffic, forcing drivers to observe road conditions. Yield signs are used in less dangerous situations, such as when entering a main road from a side road. Once, I was in a hurry and didn't come to a full stop at a stop sign, got caught by a camera, and was fined 200 yuan—a lesson well learned. Remember, red octagons mean you must stop, blue triangles just mean slow down. These signs are designed for safety and shouldn't be taken lightly.
As a daily commuter, I deal with these two signs every day. The stop sign is red with white letters, shaped like the 'stop' sign in parking lots. When encountering it, the tires must come to a complete stop, not even allowing any rolling. The yield sign is a blue inverted triangle, commonly seen at T-intersections with less traffic. You just need to slow down to below 20 mph, look left and right, and then proceed. What I fear most is when some people confuse them, failing to stop when they should and ending up hitting an electric bike. Last week, right at the entrance of our neighborhood, a car didn't obey the stop sign and brushed against an elderly person crossing the road. When actually driving, remembering the mantra 'red means stop, blue means yield' is always correct. Also, pay attention to the accompanying road markings; double white lines with an inverted triangle usually indicate a yield as well.
Since driving school, these two signs have been frequently tested. The 'Stop' sign is an octagonal red sign, requiring a complete stop until the vehicle is stationary, equivalent to 'yielding all rights.' The 'Yield' sign is an inverted triangle blue sign, representing 'conditional yielding,' such as slowing down sufficiently to let main road traffic pass when merging from a side road. The core difference lies in right-of-way allocation: at a 'Stop' sign, you must relinquish all priority, while at a 'Yield' sign, you only need to give way to through traffic. Violating a 'Stop' sign almost always results in full liability for an accident. I've seen beginners mistake a 'Yield' for a 'Stop' sign, getting honked at by following cars. Actually, the colors are the most intuitive—red means stop, blue means slow.
