What to Do
Stop at the marked stop line. If there is no line, stop at the crosswalk; if there is no crosswalk, stop at the edge of the sidewalk. Where neither exists, stop at the edge of the intersection. Wait until the way is clear before proceeding.
A Detail to Remember
The eight-sided outline helps distinguish STOP from other signs even before the lettering is readable.
A Century of Stop Signs
Michigan’s driver handbook dates the first Detroit stop sign to 1915. That is historical context from the United States; the stopping instructions on this page follow Ontario’s handbook.
Michigan Secretary of State: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals ↗Understanding Regulatory Signs
Regulatory signs communicate instructions road users must follow. Read supplementary wording carefully: the vehicle type, road layout or time of day can affect how an instruction applies.
Sources and Review
Checked November 12, 2026. Explanations follow the sources below; image-specific observations refer to the pictured G1 Prep artwork.
Sign artwork: G1 Prep by Roadity. See our editorial policy.
