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16. Give Way Rules

The information on this page is a general description of common give-way rules.

Please verify against local road laws!

It may be a simple mistake or not knowing the road rules, either way violating give way rules has serious repercussions. Disobeying give-way (or yield) regulations causes more crashes and fails more driving tests than any other breach of road laws!

Here is a summary of the most basic rules:

A. Give Way to your right applies here: 

Uncontrolled intersections 

 These do not have signs or lights controlling the traffic, hence the name un-controlled! One road does not have priority over another, just because it is wider or has a traffic island in the centre. In towns and cities such crossroads are hard to find!
Roundabouts To enter give way to all traffic on the right. After that all traffic is on your left.
Y-junctions Give way to the right, unless signposted. They may be difficult to recognize. These are also very rare.

B. The T-junction rule - Give way to the continuing road - applies here:
A T-junction or T-intersection consists of one continuing road and one terminating road. Traffic approaching from the terminating road must give way to that on the continuing road.
Right:

Traffic approaching from the terminating roads must give way.

A continuing road turns the corner into a side road. >>>

The Give Way sign makes the straight road into the terminating road.

 

Below: When a road meets another at an angle, it is still classed as terminating road. 

Likewise, a road may be curved, yet still be considered a continuing road.

 
 

C. Stop and Give Way signs.

Give Way to both Right and Left applies here ...

Please note: At Give-Ways signs there's a broken white line. At STOP signs the line is solid white. 

Be aware: Pedal cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorized traffic. The same give-way laws apply!
 
D. Traffic turning right give way to all oncoming traffic. 

This includes any right turn, i.e. into a side road, at a green circle light or just into a driveway. There are two exceptions:

1. Turning right at a roundabout. (See Section 10)

2. Turning left via slip lane: >>>

 (Turn left with care).  When turning here, give way to pedestrians and all traffic on the right, which includes oncoming traffic turning right!)

 
A common crash occurs at slip lanes: The vehicle ahead appears to be moving off, but stalls or stops, while you are looking away, checking for traffic, you assume the vehicle ahead has moved off! Crash! 

Turn your head back before moving forward!

E. Give way to all traffic applies here:

 

Exiting a car park or driveway

Moving away from the kerb

Commencing a Three-Point or U-Turn

Moving around an obstacle, when your side is blocked

The definition of Give-Way:

If two vehicles are approaching each other, and there is likely to be a collision, one vehicle must ALTER ITS COURSE OR CHANGE SPEED to allow the other a clear passage.

Caution! If any traffic does not give way to you, you give way to that traffic!

There is no such thing as right-of-way! Better to not insist on it than later regretting it in a hospital bed! 

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Our information could vary in your part of the world. We recommend you use above information in conjunction with a professional driving instructor.

Road Safety by Dieter Fischer 2001 - Learner Driver Hub 2020.