Right of way explained: who goes first at any junction

Right of way is the topic that generates the most hesitation, both in the test and on the road. The good news is that almost every situation comes down to a short list of rules applied in order. Once you know the order, even a busy junction becomes readable.

Rule one: signs and signals beat everything

A traffic light, a give way sign, a stop sign or a police officer overrides the default rules. Always look for them first. If a sign tells you to yield, you yield, no matter what the priority would otherwise be.

Rule two: priority to the right (or left)

At an unmarked junction in right hand traffic countries, you give way to vehicles coming from your right. In left hand traffic countries such as the UK, Ireland and Australia, the logic mirrors. This single default resolves the majority of quiet crossroads.

Rule three: straight ahead beats turning

When two cars would otherwise have equal priority, the one going straight generally goes before the one turning across its path. Think of it as the least disruptive move winning.

Special cases worth knowing

• Roundabouts: give way to traffic already on the roundabout (from the appropriate side for your country).
• Emergency vehicles: pull over and let them pass when safe.
• Trams and buses often have priority, especially when pulling out.
• Pedestrians on a crossing always have priority.

Practise on real diagrams

Right of way clicks when you see it, not when you read it. Working through junction diagrams, deciding who goes first, then checking the answer, builds the instinct far faster than any list. That is exactly what the driving situations trainer is for.