Who Has Right of Way at a Junction?

Sharing the road is like sharing toys when you’re little. It won’t always seem fair, but there are overarching ideals dictating the best way to behave. Nowhere is this more evident than when roads intersect and form junctions. Sometimes you’ll need to wait for other vehicles to go first at junctions, and other times they’ll have to wait for you.

But it’s not usually just a random, take-turns-and-hope-for-the-best approach. So, how do you know who has priority? Here we’ll dig into into the right of way rules and show you how to apply them in real life scenarios.

Table of contents

• Key terms
• How do you give way at a junction?
• What is the main rule for right of way?
• Who has the right of way at T-junctions?
• Who has priority at crossroads?
  • Controlled
  • Marked
  • Unmarked
• Who has right of way at a roundabout?
  • Mini roundabouts
  • Traffic lights at roundabouts
  • Left lane filters
• Merging from slip roads
• FAQs

Key terms

Give way: to allow other vehicles to go past before you move onto a road.* You can also say that you must 'yield' to other vehicles. Right of way: the legal right to go first across a road, before other road users.* You can also say that you have 'priority' over other road users.

*Definitions according to the Cambridge Dictionary.

How do you give way at a junction?

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You can give way by slowing right down as you approach the junction, so that you are able to stop if necessary. Check both ways before you enter the junction; if the road is clear, you can pick up speed again.

What is the main rule for right of way?

In the UK, there are a couple of main principles for working out who has right of way:

• Drivers on a main road have priority over drivers on a minor road
• Vehicles travelling straight on or turning left have priority. That means that drivers turning right will have to wait for a gap in the traffic before making their turn

Both rules apply simultaneously, so there are a few factors to consider when you find yourself at a junction. Let’s see how they play out.

Who has the right of way at T-junctions?

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A T-junction is where two roads meet and form a ‘T’ shape. One road will always be dominant, or more ‘major’, than the other. So, first you need to work out whether you’re driving along the main road or the minor road.

Travelling on the main road

Remember, according to our two rules, you have priority over traffic joining your road. But if you want to turn right at the T-junction, you will have to give way to oncoming traffic.

You also need to look out for vehicles emerging from minor roads. If a car has just pulled out in front of you, they may take a bit of time to get up to speed. Although it’s your right of way, you also have a responsibility to drive carefully and attentively. Don’t go and drive up their boot is all we’re saying—even if you think they deserve it.

Emerging from the minor road

Here, you don’t have right of way at the junction. Whichever way you’re turning, you’ll have to wait for a gap in the traffic before you pull out. As you approach a T-junction, there will usually be a 'Give Way' or 'Stop' sign, as well as road markings. These should all remind you that you don’t have priority.

Key points:

Main road

✓ You usually have right of way—but not if you’re turning right

✓ Look out for vehicles emerging from T-junctions on the left or right

✓ Be prepared to slow down if someone has just pulled out in front of you

Minor road

✓ Give way to traffic on the main road

✓ Pull out when there’s a sufficient gap in traffic

✓ Quickly get your speed up to that of traffic travelling on the main road

Who has priority at crossroads?

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We know four-way intersections as crossroads in the UK. There are a few different types, but what they all have in common is that there’s the potential for traffic to be moving in four different directions all at once.

Controlled crossroads

To avoid chaos, some bigger crossroads are controlled by traffic lights, which, providing you have a good grasp of the rules, means everyone knows where they stand. It’s your turn to go when you’ve got a green light.

Turning right at a crossroads with traffic lights

Things get a little more complicated if you’re turning right. Even if you have a green light, you don’t have priority unless you’ve got a lit up filter arrow. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic before you start your turn.

Marked crossroads

For less busy crossroads, there will usually be road markings and signs that tell you who has priority. Crossroads tend to consist of one major road, with two minor roads joining it from opposite directions.

Travelling on the main road

Vehicles travelling straight on along the main road, or turning left from the main road to a minor road have priority.

But, just like before, when turning right onto a minor road, you need to yield to oncoming traffic. The best way to do this safely, as well as performing your usual mirror checks and sticking your right indicator on, is to get yourself into a good road position. That way, your intentions are clear to other road users, and traffic behind may be able to undertake you while you wait for a suitable opportunity to turn.

Emerging from a minor road

When emerging from a minor road at a marked crossroads, you must always give way to traffic on the main road. Wait until there's enough space for you to pull out safely.

Priority over the opposite minor road

Unmarked crossroads

Who has right of way at a roundabout?

• How close they are to you
• Signals—like indicators, lane and road position—that they are planning to exit the roundabout before they reach you
• Their speed

Once you’re on the roundabout, you don’t usually have to give way to anyone else. But, occasionally, there might be road markings and signs indicating otherwise—so keep your eyes peeled just in case.

Who has priority at mini roundabouts?

Traffic lights at roundabouts

Left lane filters

Merging from slip roads

FAQs

① When do pedestrians have right of way?

② What else do you have to watch out for at a junction?

Rule 170 of the highway code lists other road users you need to look out for at junctions. As well as pedestrians, it specifically mentions:

• Cyclists
• Motorcyclists
• Those using powered wheelchairs or mobility scooters
• Horse riders
• Long vehicles

Some of these are vulnerable due to their exposure, and others might take a different line to the one you expect. Lorries, for example, need more space to manoeuvre, so might use the whole width of the road when they’re turning.

③ Should you always stop at a junction?

At most junctions, you are only required to give way, and not stop completely. However, you need to be going slowly enough that you can stop if there are vehicles coming. Where there is a stop sign or a solid white line on the road, you must stop.At a closed junction, you will also need to stop, because you won’t be able to see very far ahead. You might need to employ the ‘creep and peep’ method, moving out very slowly until you can see whether your route is clear to make your turn.

④ I want to turn right at a box junction. What should I do if there is oncoming traffic?

You are allowed to wait in a box junction if you’re planning on turning right. Move into position and sit there until there’s a sufficient gap in oncoming traffic to make your turn.

⑤ A car is signalling left into my road. Can I pull out?

Never assume that a driver will do what their indicators say they're going to do. If the car is far enough away that it’s safe for you to join its road, go ahead. Otherwise you should wait until the driver starts to turn. Either way, you need to watch out for anyone overtaking the vehicle on the junction.