How to Safely do an Idaho Stop
Rolling stops are legal in some states, but to be safe, you need to understand the potential dangers and some necessary skills.
When you roll up to a stop sign, do you come to a complete stop, put a foot down, look both ways, and then start rolling again—even if there’s no traffic? Or, do you slow down and look in both directions so that, if you see the intersection is clear, you can simply continue moving. Guess what? Under certain conditions, this rolling stop is safer than a full stop, even though it is illegal in most states.
This is often called an “Idaho Stop,” for the state that, in 1982, first legalized the move. We spoke to a bike advocate and a cycling lawyer to get the skinny on what you need to know about how to safely approach a stop sign.
The Definition of an Idaho Stop
Also known as a rolling stop or a “stop as yield,” the Idaho Stop law says that bicyclists can yield, rather than stop, at stop signs and proceed when safe. After the law passed, bicyclist injuries from traffic crashes in Idaho declined by 14.5 percent the following year, according to 2010 study.
Not to be outdone, Delaware, in 2017, adopted a similar law, although this one is called the “Delaware Yield.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA), both the Idaho Stop and the Delaware Yield are safer and more conducive to the flow of traffic.
Why Idaho Stops Are Safer
A 2024 Transportation Research study found that doing a rolling stop rather than stopping entirely was safer not just for cyclists, but also for car drivers, too. “When you require a cyclist to stop at intersections, it increases the points and times of conflict with other road users,” Dave Shellnutt, the Toronto-based Biking Lawyer, tells Bicycling. “A cyclist stopping at a stop sign on a residential street with stops on every block can cause motorists to do some very reckless things.”
The full stop also causes much more congestion and can lead drivers to becoming irritated with cyclists on the road, says Shellnutt.
According to the Transportation Research: Part C study, “The primary motivations cited for passing Bicycle Rolling Stop laws either focus on the conservation of momentum for the cyclist, i.e., reduced intersection delay, or on the reduction of exposure to crash risk in the intersection due to increased speed of travel across the intersection, i.e., improved safety.”
In other words, it’s safer for cyclists to continue riding than to stop. “It’s a safer way of riding, being able to carry their momentum through an intersection,” Alison Dewey, director of education at the League of American Bicyclists, tells Bicycling. “Oftentimes, at intersections, if the cyclist is in front of a car, if they take a little bit longer to get up to speed, it can put them at a higher risk of having conflict with other faster moving traffic.”
The full stop also causes much more congestion and can lead drivers to becoming irritated with cyclists on the road, says Shellnutt.
According to the Transportation Research: Part C study, “The primary motivations cited for passing Bicycle Rolling Stop laws either focus on the conservation of momentum for the cyclist, i.e., reduced intersection delay, or on the reduction of exposure to crash risk in the intersection due to increased speed of travel across the intersection, i.e., improved safety.”
In other words, it’s safer for cyclists to continue riding than to stop. “It’s a safer way of riding, being able to carry their momentum through an intersection,” Alison Dewey, director of education at the League of American Bicyclists, tells Bicycling. “Oftentimes, at intersections, if the cyclist is in front of a car, if they take a little bit longer to get up to speed, it can put them at a higher risk of having conflict with other faster moving traffic.”
States Where Idaho Stops Are Legal
Several states aside from Idaho and Delaware now allow the Stop-as-Yield for cyclists, including Arkansas, Minnesota, Colorado, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Oregon, plus Washington, D.C. Of course, if you are going out for a ride, check the laws where you will travel.
Remember, a red light is not the same as as a stop sign. Some states (Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, and Utah) do allow cyclists to use a stop light as a stop sign, and thus, you can yield when safe, according to the NHTSA.
“Having a stop-as-yield law in place for cyclists shows that the municipality and jurisdiction are concerned with road safety,” says Shellnutt. “It means that they’re using reports, statistics, and data to inform what kind of policies they put forward and in laws that they have. If you have a bunch of persuasive evidence that the rolling stop reduces collisions, which we do, then you institute it.”
Stay Aware and Follow the Law
Remember Bicycle Rolling Stop laws are never permission to “just keep on rolling.” If you see a stop sign, you absolutely need to look around for cars, bikes, and people. If there is traffic, you don’t automatically have the right of way.
Likewise, none of the experts advise you to roll through a stop sign if you live in a state or country without a Stop-as-Yield law in place. If a cop sees you, they likely won’t be impressed when you mention the Transportation Research: Part C study to show that you’re actually prioritizing safety.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Shellnutt adds, though, that when you’re torn between following the rules and protecting yourself by riding safely, opt for riding safely. “We want to follow the rules of the road, but safety’s got to be paramount,” he adds.
How to Safely Do a Rolling Stop
The safe way to do a rolling stop is to slow down considerably. Hit the brakes and slow to an almost-stop, and, as you do, assess the situation. Are there cars behind you? Coming toward you? Already at the stop sign to the right of you? Or is it entirely clear?
“Look both ways and make sure that there is no oncoming traffic,” Dewey says. “That’s a key part. It’s not just blowing through a stop sign and not paying attention to oncoming traffic or traffic that is in front of [you] or behind [you]. It’s just a way for [you] to kind of maintain [your] momentum going through an intersection that is not crowded and not experiencing any oncoming traffic.”
Dewey also suggests trying to make eye contact with each driver—this helps ensure that they see you.
You Can Get a Ticket for an Illegal Rolling Stop
Of course, rolling through a stop in a city where it isn’t legal can get you into trouble. “We see police using cyclists rolling stops as a way to ticket and target those cyclists here in Toronto,” says Shellnutt.
If this happens, Shellnutt advises cyclists not to hand over your driver’s license. You aren't required to carry it while riding in the United States or Canada. If you do give the cop your license, you run the risk that your ticket will be made out as if you’re operating a motor vehicle—which could affect your insurance premiums. Of course, don’t get into an altercation with a police officer. Take the ticket and be on your way: Don’t argue while on the side of the road.
If you get a ticket, take it to court. Shellnutt says that too often, people just pay the ticket. However, if you actually show up to court (often you can do this via Zoom), you can typically argue it down or get it completely expunged.
Don’t Allow Kids to Roll Through Stop Signs
“When we think of the rolling stop, we think of adults using it,” Dewey says. “It’s not something that we recommend teaching kids, because it’s harder for a child who hasn’t experienced driving a vehicle to know how drivers will react. So we always teach kids to stop at a stop sign.”
E-Bike Riders Should Practice Extra Caution
In some states, both Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles are governed by the same regulations as traditional bicycles, but the laws are not consistent. To find out the exact laws for your state (or a state in which you plan to travel), head to PeopleforBikes.
Whatever the law, understand that e-bike riders should be more cautious than traditional cyclists when approaching a rolling stop. You travel faster than other riders, so you need to slow down more aggressively as you approach a stop sign. At the same time, Dewey adds, because the e-bike can get back up to speed faster than a traditional bike, it’s not as big of a deal to actually fully stop and put a foot down.
|