Being clear about road rules and how to apply them will help you stay a safe and confident driver. This is a refresher on the rules around intersections, roundabouts, and merging.
In all of the following diagrams, the car with the dotted arrow path must give way.
If you’re turning right, give way to all vehicles coming towards you who’re turning left.
This also applies when both vehicles are facing the same control, such as stop and give way signs and green traffic signals.
If you’re on a terminating road (bottom of the T), give way to traffic on the continuing road (top of the T).
This includes people on bikes and e-scooters. Driveways are a form of T-intersection so the same rules apply.
Give way to all road users that will cross your path from your right as you enter the roundabout.
Be in the correct lane for where you want to go. Give way to all vehicles that will cross your path from your right as you enter the roundabout.
If you’re turning left at the first exit of a roundabout, indicate left as you come up to the roundabout.
If you’re going straight through a roundabout don’t indicate as you come up to the roundabout – indicate left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take.
If you’re travelling more than halfway around a roundabout, indicate right as you come up to the roundabout. indicate left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take.
When turning right from a one-way street or multi-laned road, you should stay in the same lane throughout the turn.
Turning right from a one-way street
Turning right from a multi-laned street
Two vehicles turning onto the same road – both vehicles stay in their own lane throughout the turn.
Try to get into the correct lane before you get to the intersection. However, if you must change lanes, make sure it’s safe before you start. Never change lanes suddenly.
A flush median is a strip in the centre of the road that's marked with white diagonal lines within parallel lines. It's a place for vehicles to wait safely before turning right off the road, or after turning right onto the road.
You can only drive onto the flush median to:
When using a flush median, watch out for pedestrians who might be waiting on the flush median to cross the road.
Merge lanes help turning vehicles join the traffic flow. If you're in a merge lane, indicate for at least 3 seconds, move into a safe gap and adjust your speed and following distance.
The best way to merge is like a zip – where a vehicle from the left lane goes and then a vehicle from the right lane goes, and so on. As you merge, let one vehicle from the other lane go first, and then go.
When using an on-ramp to enter a motorway:
When using an off-ramp to leave a motorway:
Cycle-only lanes are marked by a symbol of a cycle on the road. You must not stop in or block a cycle lane. When coming up to an intersection you must not enter a cycle lane if stationary traffic is in the way and you’ll block the cycle lane.
An advanced stop box is a green square with a white cycle symbol at the top of a controlled intersection. It’s only for cyclists and gives them a head start when the lights turn green. You shouldn't go onto the green cycle box. You should expect cyclists to come through to the front of the queue.
You can also review these, and other road rules you want to refresh yourself on, in the road code. You can read the road code on our website, or get a printed road code from most bookstores or your local library.
