Photo: Shamba Datta / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
At a junction in Great Britain, you MUST stop at a solid white “Stop” line, MUST give way to the main road at broken white lines, and MUST NOT enter a yellow box junction until your exit is clear, unless you are waiting to turn right. You should also give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road you are turning into or out of. This guide covers Highway Code Rules 170 to 183 for learners and new drivers in England, Scotland and Wales: emerging, dual carriageways, box junctions, traffic lights, and turning right and left.
Junction rules at a glance
| Situation | What you do | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| “Stop” sign and solid white line | You MUST stop behind the line, then wait for a safe gap | 171 |
| “Give Way” sign, triangle or broken white lines | You MUST give way to traffic on the main road | 172 |
| Pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross your new road | Give way; if they have started to cross they have priority | 170, H2 |
| Yellow box junction | MUST NOT enter until your exit is clear (right-turn exception) | 174 |
| Red traffic light | MUST NOT move forward over the white line | 176 |
| Advanced stop line for cyclists | MUST stop at the first white line on amber or red | 178 |
| Crossing a dual carriageway | Use the central gap only if it protects your whole vehicle | 173 |
Taking extra care at junctions (Rule 170)
Rule 170 is the general rule for every junction. You should:
- watch out for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, including people using powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters, who are not always easy to see and may not have seen or heard you
- give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way
- stay behind cyclists, horse riders, horse-drawn vehicles and motorcyclists at junctions, even if they are waiting to turn and are close to the kerb
- watch for long vehicles turning ahead, which may need the whole width of the road
- watch for horse riders, who may take a different line from the one you expect
- not assume a vehicle coming from the right and signalling left will actually turn: wait and make sure
- look all around before emerging, and only cross or join a road when the gap is large enough to do so safely
The pedestrian priority wording comes from the 2022 hierarchy of road users changes. See Rules H1, H2 and H3.
Emerging from a junction: Stop and Give Way
Stop junctions (Rule 171)
Where there is a “Stop” sign and a solid white line across the road, you MUST stop behind the line, even if you can see the road is clear. Then wait for a safe gap before moving off.
Give Way junctions (Rule 172)
The approach may have a “Give Way” sign or a triangle painted on the road. Where there are broken white lines across the road, you MUST give way to traffic on the main road. You do not have to stop if it is clear, but you must not make main road traffic slow down or swerve.
Emerging: a step-by-step routine
- Check mirrors and signal in good time.
- Slow down and position correctly: close to the left for a left turn, just left of the centre line for a right turn.
- Look right, left and right again, and keep looking while you wait. Look for cyclists and motorcyclists, who are easy to miss.
- Where your view is blocked by parked cars or hedges, creep forward slowly until you can see.
- Go only when the gap is big enough to join without anyone slowing for you.
Reading the junction and judging the gap
Work through the junction in order: first the signs, signals and markings, then the path you will take into the new road, then every path that crosses it, including people on foot and in cycle lanes. A green light or a clear first lane gives you permission, not space. Check there is room for the whole car to clear the junction.
No fixed number of seconds makes a gap safe. It depends on how fast the other traffic is closing, how far you can see and how long your car takes to complete the turn. A car that looks far away may be travelling quickly, and a van in the near lane can hide a motorcyclist behind it. If you are unsure, wait and keep looking around the whole junction, not just at one vehicle.
A useful practice drill: with your instructor or supervising driver, while parked or as a passenger, point out a gap you would take and say why. Let them challenge it. After a hesitant or rushed attempt on a drive, ask yourself whether you misjudged speed, distance, the view or your own car’s acceleration, then practise that part.
Crossing or turning right onto a dual carriageway (Rule 173)
First judge whether the central reservation is deep enough to protect the full length of your vehicle.
- If it is, treat each half as a separate road. Cross the first half, wait in the central reservation, then join or cross the second half when there is a safe gap.
- If it is too shallow, wait until you can cross both carriageways in one go. Otherwise the back of your car would stick out into fast traffic.
This matters more if you are towing, because your vehicle is longer.
Box junctions (Rule 174)
Box junctions have criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road. You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear.
There is one exception: you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right. At signalled roundabouts you MUST NOT enter the box unless you can cross it completely without stopping.
Can I be fined for stopping in a box junction?
Yes. Rule 174 is a legal requirement. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal explains that councils in England granted moving traffic enforcement powers can use cameras to enforce yellow box junctions, with the penalty charge sent to the vehicle’s registered keeper. Charges vary by council, so check the amount on the notice and on the council’s own website.
Junctions controlled by traffic lights (Rules 175 to 178)
- Red (Rule 176): you MUST NOT move forward over the white line.
- Amber (Rule 175): you MUST stop behind the white stop line unless you have already crossed it or are so close that stopping might cause a collision.
- Green (Rule 176): only go if there is room to clear the junction safely, or you are moving forward to turn right.
- Lights not working (Rule 176): treat it as an unmarked junction and go with great care.
- Green filter arrow (Rule 177): marks a filter lane. Only use it if you want to go in the direction of the arrow. You may go when the arrow or the full green shows. Give other traffic, especially cyclists, time and room to get into the right lane.
Advanced stop lines (Rule 178)
Some junctions have a second stop line with a box in front for cyclists. You MUST stop at the first white line if the lights are amber or red. Avoid stopping in the cyclists’ area at other times. If you have already crossed the first line when the light turns red, stop as soon as possible and you MUST stop at the second line. When the lights turn green, give cyclists time and space to move off. For all light signals, see Highway Code light signals.
Turning right (Rules 179 to 181)
Before the turn (Rule 179)
Well before you turn right:
- use your mirrors to know where traffic behind you is
- give a right-turn signal
- position just left of the middle of the road, or in the space marked for right-turning traffic
- leave room for other vehicles to pass on your left, if possible
Making the turn (Rule 180)
Wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic. Look out for cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and others. Check your mirrors and blind spot again to make sure no one is overtaking you, then turn. Do not cut the corner. When turning right into a main road, watch for traffic in both directions.
Plan where the turn ends as well as where it starts: pick the lane you are turning into and steer into it without drifting across a neighbouring lane. If you realise too late that you cannot make a turn safely, carry on and find another route. Don’t stop in the junction or swerve across a lane.
When an oncoming car is also turning right (Rule 181)
| Method | How it works | Highway Code view |
|---|---|---|
| Right side to right side (offside to offside) | Keep the other vehicle on your right and turn behind it | Generally the safer method: you have a clear view of approaching traffic as you finish the turn |
| Left side to left side (nearside to nearside) | Turn in front of each other | Can block your view of oncoming vehicles; cyclists and motorcyclists may be hidden. Take extra care |
Road layout, markings or how the other driver positions can decide which method you use.
Turning left (Rules 182 and 183)
- Use your mirrors and signal left well before the turn.
- Do not overtake just before you turn left.
- Watch for traffic coming up on your left, especially cyclists and motorcyclists, who may be hidden from view.
- Keep as close to the left as is safe and practicable.
- Give way to anything using a bus lane, cycle lane, cycle track or tramway from either direction, including when they are passing slow or stationary traffic.
- If a cyclist you saw in your mirror is no longer there, don’t assume they have stopped. They may be alongside you in your blind spot. Check before you turn.
- Spot any two-way cycle track or contraflow lane across the side road before you start the turn, so you look in the direction you would not expect.
- If a driver behind sounds their horn, still wait. Don’t squeeze a cyclist into the corner to save a few seconds.
Rule 167 also says that if you are following a cyclist, horse rider or horse-drawn vehicle approaching a junction and you intend to turn left, stay behind and do not cut across them.
Queuing traffic near junctions (Rule 151)
In slow-moving traffic, Rule 151 says you should close up a little to help the flow, but never so close that you could not stop safely. It also says you should:
- allow access into and out of side roads, because blocking them adds to the congestion
- allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross in front of you
- watch for cyclists and motorcyclists passing on either side
- leave enough room to pull round the car ahead if it breaks down, or if an emergency vehicle needs to get through
- not change lanes to the left to overtake
Before you creep forward again, check just in front and to both sides of the car, not only the brake lights ahead. If you let a driver out of a side road, remember they still need to check for a cyclist or motorcyclist coming up the outside of the queue.
Scenario: turning right at a busy crossroads
You are waiting to turn right at lights. The light goes green. An oncoming car is also turning right, a cyclist is approaching straight on behind it, and a pedestrian is waiting to cross the road you are turning into.
- Move forward to your turning point, keeping clear of the junction exit.
- Turn right side to right side if the layout allows, so you can see past the other car.
- Wait for the cyclist to pass. They are going straight on and have priority.
- Check your mirror and right blind spot, then turn, giving way to the pedestrian crossing your new road (Rule 170).
Common questions
Do I have to stop at a Give Way line?
Not if the road is clear. You MUST give way to traffic on the main road, but you only need to stop if there is traffic to give way to. At a Stop line you must always stop.
Do I have to give way to pedestrians at a junction?
Rule 170 says give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road you are turning into or out of. If they have started to cross, they have priority.
Can I wait in a yellow box to turn right?
Yes, if your exit is clear and you are only held up by oncoming traffic or other vehicles waiting to turn right. This exception does not apply at signalled roundabouts.
What do I do if the traffic lights are not working?
Treat the junction as unmarked, where nobody has priority, and proceed with great care (Rule 176).
What is the safest way to turn right when an oncoming car is also turning right?
The Highway Code says right side to right side, turning behind the other vehicle, is generally safer because you can see approaching traffic.
Can I go on amber?
Only if you have already crossed the stop line or are so close that stopping might cause a collision (Rule 175).
Related: roundabouts (Rules 184 to 190), mini and double roundabouts and signalling correctly. Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Using the road (159 to 203)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Introduction” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)”, Rule 151 (gov.uk)
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal, “English authorities commence moving traffic enforcement” (tpt.gov.uk)