How to use a roundabout in Ireland

Who has right of way at a roundabout?

You do not. You enter the roundabout by turning left, treat the entry as a junction and give way to traffic already on it and traffic coming from your right. The Rules of the Road adds one point that matters in traffic: if the way is clear, keep moving. Stopping at an empty roundabout is hesitation, and testers can mark it as inadequate progress.

Your signal never gives you priority. It tells others what you plan to do and nothing more.

Which lane do I take?

Use the clock. Picture the roundabout as a clock face and your entry as 6 o’clock.

Markings beat the clock. If the road shows you a lane, with arrows or text painted on the approach, use that lane. The Rules of the Road says so directly, and the shape of the roundabout alone can mislead you.

How do I signal at a roundabout?

Follow the exit you want.

• First exit (turning left): approach in the left lane and indicate left.
• Straight ahead: approach in the left lane unless markings say otherwise. Do not indicate left until you have passed the exit before yours.
• Later exit, past 12 o’clock: approach in the right lane and indicate right. Leave it on until you have passed the exit before yours, then change to left.

Signalling too early is a fault. The marking guidelines give an example of a misleading signal: indicating left too soon when you are taking the second or a later exit. A driver waiting to join may think you are leaving and pull out.

Step by step through a roundabout

1. Read the approach. Look for arrows, signs and markings before you reach the roundabout.
2. Check your mirrors and choose your lane in good time, not at the last second.
3. Slow down and signal for your exit as set out above.
4. Look right and judge the gap on the roundabout. Yield, but keep moving if it is clear.
5. Stay in your lane on the roundabout. Do not drift across.
6. Check mirror and left side before you leave, and cancel your signal once you are out.

How do mini-roundabouts work?

A mini-roundabout has no full island, only a marking in the centre. The rules are the same: enter by turning left, give way to traffic already on it, and follow the direction shown by the signs on the approach. Go round the central marking rather than over it, and signal your exit. If the layout confuses you, slow down and take the extra second to read it.

What do testers mark at roundabouts?

The RSA marking guidelines name roundabouts in several places.

• Observation: not looking properly before, on and when leaving a roundabout.
• Road position: wrong lane or drifting between lanes at a roundabout.
• Progress: waiting when the way is clear.
• Signals and mirrors: late, missing or misleading signals, and mirror checks at the wrong moment.

Poor observation at roundabouts appears on the RSA’s list of common reasons for being unsuccessful, and the faults are marked under the headings above. A single fault is one mark, but repeated faults of the same kind add up. The marking guide explains how, and the observation guide shows what a full look at a junction involves.

Lane arrows, yellow boxes and other road markings on a roundabout approach apply on top of the roundabout rules. The yellow box guide covers the box rule.

What are the most common roundabout mistakes?

Most faults come from a small set of habits.

• Choosing the lane late. Read the approach early so you are in position before the entry, not swerving across at the last moment.
• Signalling left too early. On a straight-ahead or later exit, an early left signal misleads waiting drivers.
• Forgetting the signal change. On a later exit, you signal right, then switch to left after the exit before yours.
• Looking only once. Observation is needed before, on and when leaving a roundabout, not only at the entry.
• Stopping at a clear entry. Yield means give way if needed, and keep moving when the way is clear.
• Drifting between lanes. Hold your lane on the roundabout and watch your position through the bend.

Say the routine aloud in practice: lane, signal, look right, gap, exit. It builds the habit before the test.

What if I miss my exit?

Stay calm and stay in lane. Go round again and take the exit the tester asked for. The RSA guidelines say a missed turn is not a fault when you deal with it safely. A sudden swerve for the exit is a different matter and can be marked. Learners often say that this one calm lap cost them nothing.

If you did not hear the direction, ask the tester to repeat it before you enter. That does not count against you.

How do I practise roundabouts?

Practise the ones near your test centre, at different times of day. Drive each one in each direction with your instructor or sponsor, and say aloud what you see: lane, signal, gap, exit. Turas calls out the roundabout lane and exit by voice on test routes around your centre, so you hear them before you reach them. Pick your centre on the routes page.