Photo: Ollie Craig / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
On roundabouts in Ireland you go left (clockwise) and yield to traffic coming from your right. Use the RSA’s clock rule to pick your lane: exits from 6 to 12 o’clock usually mean the left lane, exits after 12 o’clock usually mean the right lane. Signal left after you pass the exit before yours. This guide covers lanes, signals, cyclists and the mistakes learners make most.
Key facts
- Yield to traffic coming from your right or already on the roundabout, and obey any lights on your approach. Keep moving if your way is clear.
- Road markings and signs override the clock rule. Follow the arrows if there are any.
- Signal left once you pass the exit before the one you want.
- Going the wrong way round (not turning left onto the roundabout): €60 and 1 penalty point (3 on conviction), as of November 2026.
Which lane do I use on a roundabout in Ireland?
Picture the roundabout as a clock, with you arriving at 6 o’clock.
| Your exit | Approach lane | Signal on approach | Signal to leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| First left (9 o’clock or earlier) | Left | Left | Keep signalling left until you exit |
| Straight ahead or any exit up to 12 o’clock | Left | None | Left, after passing the exit before yours |
| Any exit after 12 o’clock (right or full circle) | Right | Right | Change to left after passing the exit before yours |
The Rules of the Road says this is a general guide. If lane arrows, markings or signs show something different, follow them.
Step by step: taking a right-hand exit
- Check mirrors and get into the right-hand lane in good time.
- Signal right as you approach.
- Yield to traffic coming from your right. Go when there is a safe gap.
- Keep signalling right as you go round.
- When you pass the exit before yours, check your left mirror and blind spot, switch to a left signal and move over to the left.
- Leave, checking for cyclists and motorcyclists still going round.
Going straight ahead when the left lane is jammed
The Rules of the Road allows a different course if conditions demand it, for example a long queue in the left lane signalling left, or roadworks blocking it. You may then approach in the right lane for a straight-ahead exit. Take extra care leaving across the left lane.
Watch out for these road users
- Cyclists and horse riders may stay in the left lane and signal right if they are going round. Give them room and do not cut across them at an exit.
- Long vehicles, including cars towing, may straddle lanes or take a different line. Stay out of the space they need and watch their signals.
- Pedestrians crossing the approach and exit roads.
- Vehicles leaving at the next exit that cross in front of you.
- Drivers in the wrong lane or straddling lanes. Leave space.
Cyclists are told to take extra care at exits and may wait for a long vehicle to clear the roundabout before entering. See sharing the road with cyclists in Ireland.
Mini-roundabouts and signal-controlled roundabouts
A mini-roundabout is a painted circle, sometimes slightly raised. Specific rules apply to mini-roundabouts, and breaking them carries a €60 fixed charge and 1 penalty point (3 on conviction). Approach slowly and yield to traffic from the right as at any roundabout. Some large roundabouts have traffic lights on the approaches or on the circle itself. Obey the lights as at any junction. See traffic lights and signals in Ireland.
Common roundabout mistakes
- Stopping at the give-way line for no reason when your way is clear. Check for traffic already on the roundabout, signals and people crossing, but don’t wait once it is safe to go.
- Approaching in the wrong lane, then changing lanes on the roundabout without checking.
- Forgetting to signal left before leaving, or signalling left too early and confusing traffic waiting to enter.
- Leaving without a final check to the left for cyclists and motorcyclists.
- Forcing a late lane change to reach an exit. If a car is alongside where you need to go, stay in your lane, take the exit it leads to and reroute.
A cyclist or motorcyclist staying in the outside lane may be carrying on round, so don’t assume they are leaving at your exit.
On the Irish driving test the tester checks that you signal correctly and in good time, and that you keep reasonable progress without undue hesitancy at roundabouts. See Irish driving test marking.
Common questions
Do you give way to the right on a roundabout in Ireland?
Yes. Yield to traffic coming from your right, but keep moving if the way is clear.
Do I signal when going straight ahead?
Not on approach. Signal left after you pass the exit before the one you are taking.
Which lane for the second exit?
It depends where the exit is, not its number. If the second exit is at or before 12 o’clock, approach in the left lane. Lane arrows override this.
Can I use the right lane to go straight ahead?
Only where markings allow it, or where conditions such as a long left-lane queue or roadworks make the left lane impractical.
What do I do if I miss my exit?
On an ordinary roundabout you can go round again, signalling as before. On a spiral roundabout or where lane markings lead you off, take the exit your lane leads to and find another route. Never reverse or cut across lanes.
Related: junctions in Ireland, Irish road markings, good driving practice in Ireland. Back to learning to drive in Ireland.
Sources
- Road Safety Authority, “Rules of the Road”, Section 9 Junctions and roundabouts and Section 17 Rules for cyclists (Revision 5, hosted on garda.ie)
- Law Reform Commission, “Road Traffic Act 2002”, First Schedule, revised (revisedacts.lawreform.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 227/2024, Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024” (irishstatutebook.ie)