Priority junction

How to recognise a priority junction

At a priority junction it is shown who goes first, with signs and with give-way markings (shark's teeth) on the road. They come before the rule that traffic from the right goes first. Which sign you see depends on the road you are on.

Signs when you get priority

• Sign B3 (priority junction): a red triangle with a thick and a thin black line. The thick line is your road: you have priority at the next junction. The thin line shows the small side roads. They have shark's teeth or sign B6 or B7: those drivers must wait and let you go first.
• Sign B4 (priority junction, side road on the left): the thin line is only on the left. You have priority over traffic from the side road on your left.
• Sign B5 (priority junction, side road on the right): the thin line is only on the right. You have priority over traffic from the side road on your right.

These signs mean that priority is regulated at that junction. Also check the markings on the side roads and whether the traffic really lets you go first. If you are on a priority road with the yellow diamond-shaped sign B1 (priority road), you have priority at every junction: see below.

Signs when you must give way

• Sign B6 (give way): a white triangle with a red border, pointing down. Let the drivers on the crossing road go first, from the left and from the right.
• Sign B7 (stop sign): a red octagon with STOP on it. You always come to a complete stop at the stop line, even if you think nobody is coming. Then you give way. Such a sign is usually there because the junction is hard to see.
• Give-way markings (shark's teeth): a row of small white triangles across your lane, pointing at you. They mean the same as sign B6 (give way), even without a sign. More under give-way markings.

Watch the stop line itself: it only shows where you must stop, and means nothing else. You also see it under traffic lights, where you simply drive on at green. A stop sign always requires a stop; red or yellow lights and an instruction can also require stopping.

The rules at a priority junction

Two situations side by side: on the left the learner car must give way, on the right the learner car gets priority.

You have shark's teeth and sign B6 (give way): the blue pick-up on the crossing road goes first.

You have sign B3 (priority junction): you go first, even before the blue pick-up coming from the right. It has shark's teeth.

• Do you have shark's teeth, sign B6 (give way) or sign B7 (stop sign)? Then you let all drivers on the crossing road go first, from the left and from the right: cars, motorcycles, cyclists and moped riders. At B7 you first stop completely.
• Are you on the road with sign B3, B4 or B5 (priority junction)? Then you have priority over traffic from the side road, even if it comes from the right.
• Turning? Your priority over the side road remains, but between drivers on the same road the normal rules apply. If you turn left and the oncoming driver on the priority road goes straight on, they go first. If you both turn, the short turn goes before the long one. How that works when you and the oncoming driver have the same signs is explained under the priority rules.

Priority is given, not taken. Even if the sign says you go first, check that the other driver really lets you go. If they do not slow down, you wait.

A roundabout with give-way markings at the entry is a priority junction too: traffic already on the roundabout goes first. Without give-way markings and priority signs the roundabout is an equal junction and traffic from the right goes first, so whoever wants to enter. More about choosing your lane and indicating under the roundabout.

The most important priority signs in the exam

In the exam you must recognise the priority signs at a glance. Signs B3 to B7 (priority junction, give way and stop) are shown above. The sign that is misunderstood most often is the priority road sign.

The yellow diamond-shaped sign B1 (priority road) means: you are on a priority road. You then have priority over traffic from the side roads at all junctions on that road, not just the next one. That stays so until the priority road ends, usually at sign B2 (end of priority road). Even with priority, check that others make room.

Formally a priority road is not a priority junction: sign B3, B4 or B5 (priority junction) applies to one junction, sign B1 (priority road) to the whole road. Traffic from the side roads has shark's teeth, sign B6 (give way) or sign B7 (stop sign) here too.

After sign B2 (end of priority road) you no longer have priority over the side roads. Then you look again at the signs and give-way markings at each junction, and if there are none, traffic from the right goes first.

Sub-signs with priority signs

Under a priority sign there can be a white sub-sign with one thick and a few thin lines. That sub-sign shows how the priority road runs at this junction. You mostly see it where the priority road bends.

The thick line shows the priority road; thin lines show joining roads. Following the thick line around a bend retains priority over drivers from subordinate side roads. It does not automatically remove duties towards traffic on the same road or pedestrians. Indicate if changing direction, even while staying on the priority road.

When leaving the priority road, assess separately which road each road user follows. “I follow the thick line” or “I go straight” alone cannot solve every combination. The basic rules explain how signs and turning duties combine.

Memory aids for the four priority signs

	B6 (give way): the upside-down triangle is one big shark's tooth. The sign and the shark's teeth on the road mean the same: you give way.
	B7 (stop sign): stop means stop. Even on an empty road you first come to a full standstill. Then you give way.
	B1 (priority road): the yellow sign looks like an egg (ei in Dutch). Fiiinally you can drive on, junction after junction: you get priority.
	B3 (priority junction): thick beats thin. The thick line is your road, the thin lines are the side roads: you get priority.

Cyclists at a priority junction

A cycle path that runs along the priority road belongs to that road. Cyclists and moped riders on that cycle path therefore have priority just as much as the cars on the carriageway. If you have give-way markings, you do not only cross the carriageway: you also let the cyclists on the cycle path go first, from both sides.

It can also work the other way round: if there are give-way markings on the cycle path where it crosses your road, the cyclist must let you go first.

Traffic lights out? Priority junction!

Working traffic lights come before priority signs and give-way markings (RVV 1990 article 64). That is why at many junctions with traffic lights you also see priority signs and give-way markings, which you do not need as long as the lights work.

Are the lights out, or is only the yellow light flashing? Then the signs and give-way markings take over and the junction is a priority junction. Whoever has give-way markings waits. If there are no signs or give-way markings, it is an equal junction.

What the different lights mean is explained under traffic lights.

Anticipating at priority junctions

Even when you have priority, you cannot blindly trust what others will do. At every priority junction, watch the drivers in the side roads. Does someone roll up onto the shark's teeth, not look your way or still drive quite fast? Then ease off the accelerator and be ready to brake. Priority is given, not taken.

Sometimes you can see other people's behaviour coming from further away. Do you see a traffic jam ahead with an exit just before it? Then there is a good chance cars will take that exit to avoid the jam. Most drivers change lanes in time. But someone who is distracted does it at the last moment. Take that into account, especially just before a junction or an exit.