What should you do if you encounter a yield sign?

Encountering a yield sign indicates that you must slow down and give way to other drivers or pedestrians who have the right of way. The primary purpose of a yield sign is to alert you that there may be other vehicles or traffic that you need to allow to pass before you proceed.

In practice, this means you should carefully assess the situation, checking for oncoming traffic or other vehicles at the intersection. If you determine that there are no vehicles or pedestrians that pose a risk, you can then continue with caution. However, it is crucial to understand that the action of slowing down and giving way is essential to ensuring safety for all road users.

Coming to a complete stop, while sometimes necessary, is not always required, as a yield sign allows for the possibility of continuing on your way if it is safe to do so. Accelerating past the sign or ignoring it can lead to dangerous situations, especially if there is unseen traffic. Hence, the safest and most compliant response to a yield sign is to slow down and be prepared to yield as necessary.