Give way lines, stop lines, unmarked crossroads, filter arrows and the 2022 rule on pedestrians. Know who goes first at every kind of junction, and what examiners mark when it goes wrong.
Who has priority at a junction depends on the lines. At give way or stop lines, traffic on the main road goes first. At an unmarked crossroads nobody has priority, so slow down and look. And when you turn into or out of a road, you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross it.
The white lines across the end of a road tell you what to do there.
Read the lines early. A triangle painted on your side of the road warns that a give way line is just ahead, and a give way or stop sign with a distance plate tells you how far. If the signs are new to you, our free road signs page with a quiz covers them all.
At a T-junction the road that ends is the minor road. If you are on it, you give way to traffic in both directions on the main road.
If you are on the main road and turning into the side road, you have priority over traffic waiting to come out of it. You do not have priority over:
Check your mirrors, signal right and position just left of the middle of the road, or in the space marked for turning right. Leave room for traffic to pass on your left if you can (rule 179). Just before you turn, check your mirror and right blind spot again for anyone overtaking, and do not cut the corner (rule 180).
Use your mirrors and signal well before the turn, and do not overtake just before it. Keep as close to the left as is safe, and check your left mirror for cyclists and motorcyclists coming up on the inside (rules 182 and 183).
At a marked crossroads, the lines tell you who waits. If you are crossing from one minor road to the other, look right, left and ahead: traffic from all three roads can be in your path.
Some side roads and country lanes have no lines at all. The Highway Code tells you to look out for unmarked junctions where nobody has priority (rule 146). So:
The same applies when traffic lights are out of order: treat the junction as unmarked and go with great care (rule 176).
When you and an oncoming car both turn right at a crossroads, there are two ways to pass (rule 181). Turning right side to right side (often called offside to offside), keeping the other car on your right and passing behind it, is generally safer because you can see oncoming traffic. Turning left side to left side, passing in front of each other, blocks your view, so take extra care for cyclists and motorcyclists. The layout, the markings and where the other car stops usually decide which you use. Some busy crossroads also have a yellow box: our explainer covers when you can enter a box junction.
On the test, the examiner guidance lists waiting at a green filter or at the stop line when it is safe to go as faults. So are reacting late to amber and stopping over the line into the cyclists' area. Not responding appropriately to traffic lights was fifth in the DVSA list of reasons for failing for April 2024 to March 2025.
Since 29 January 2022 the Highway Code has said you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road that you are turning into or out of (rule H2). Rule 170 repeats it for junctions, and adds that if pedestrians have already started to cross, they have priority. Both sit under the hierarchy of road users: those who can cause the most harm, drivers included, carry the most responsibility (rule H1).
In practice:
For crossings with stripes or lights, see our explainer on zebra, pelican, puffin and toucan crossings.
Not making effective observations at junctions was the most common reason for failing the car test in the DVSA list for April 2024 to March 2025. Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions was fourth. DVSA also says ineffective observation was a factor in 47% of collisions in 2023.
Effective is the key word. The examiner guidance counts looking both ways and still pulling out in a way that affects other road users as an observation fault. Looking is not enough: you have to see what is there and act on it.
The mirror, signal, manoeuvre routine gives you the order of checks on the approach to every junction, and our guide to observation on your driving test covers mirrors and blind spots in more depth.
The test report has a Junctions heading, and the guidance examiners use splits it into five parts:
Two other headings catch junction mistakes. Judgement covers turning right across the path of oncoming traffic, and Progress covers stopping at a junction for no reason or not going when it is safe. Read how each type of driving test fault is graded.
Junctions are a big part of how to pass your driving test. The ones near your test centre are worth seeing in advance: find your test centre and watch the junctions learners there drive most often.
Nobody. The Highway Code tells you to look out for unmarked junctions where nobody has priority, so slow down, look both ways and go only when you are sure it is clear.
Not if the main road is clear and you can see properly. You must give way to traffic on the main road, so stop if anyone is coming. At a stop line you must always stop.
Neither has priority over the other, and both wait for a safe gap in the traffic going straight ahead. Where the layout allows, turn right side to right side, passing behind each other, as it gives you a clear view of oncoming traffic (rule 181).
You should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road you are turning into or out of (rule H2). If they have already started to cross, they have priority (rule 170).
Yes, if you are going in the direction of the arrow and it is safe. The filter lane is only for that direction (rule 177).
Last checked: 13 October 2026.
