Dutch priority rules explained: intersections, pedestrians and memory aids

1. The order: officer, light, sign, rule

Before you think about "traffic from the right goes first", you need to know which information carries the most weight. The Dutch traffic rules (RVV 1990) use this fixed order:

1. Instructions from a traffic controller (police, traffic controllers and school crossing patrols): these always come first.
2. Traffic lights: green, amber and red.
3. Traffic signs and shark teeth: for example the give way sign B6 or a priority road (B1).
4. Traffic rules: only if none of the above is present do the default rules apply, such as traffic from the right goes first.

Example: the traffic light is green, but a police officer signals you to stop. You stop, because the officer's instruction outweighs the light. If a traffic light is out of order or flashing amber, you look at the signs, and if there are none, traffic from the right goes first.

2. Equal intersection: traffic from the right goes first

An equal intersection (gelijkwaardig kruispunt) is a junction without traffic lights, priority signs or shark teeth. None of the roads is more important than the others. Here the best-known rule applies: drivers from the right have priority.

• "Drivers" means everyone in control of a vehicle: cars, lorries, motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, cyclists, and also someone on a horse or with a draught animal.
• So cyclists and mopeds from the right also have priority over you as a car driver.
• Pedestrians are not drivers. The rule of traffic from the right does not apply to them (see priority for pedestrians).
• It does not matter whether the road is wider, whether you seem to be on a through road or which way you want to go: at an equal intersection the only thing that counts is who is coming from the right.

Exam trap: the CBR often shows a wide, busy road meeting a narrow side street, with no signs. Many candidates think the wide road has priority. It does not: without signs or shark teeth it is an equal intersection and traffic from the right goes first.

What if someone comes from every direction? If four drivers arrive at an equal intersection at the same time, everyone has someone on their right. Nobody has priority and you have to sort it out together: one driver clearly signals that they are waiting, after which traffic continues according to the rule of traffic from the right.

3. Trams and priority vehicles

The tram

At an equal intersection a tram always has priority, even when it comes from the left. A tram cannot swerve and has a long braking distance. If there are signs, shark teeth or traffic lights, the tram must follow them too. A tram is not a priority vehicle: that is a separate category.

Priority vehicles

Police, fire brigade, ambulance and some other emergency services are only priority vehicles when they use blue flashing lights and a siren. Then you must always give way to them, even if you have a green light. Make room without putting yourself or others in danger: for example, do not simply drive through a red light to make space.

An ambulance with only flashing lights and no siren is not a priority vehicle. It is still sensible to give it room.

4. Straight on along the same road goes first

When you turn, you must let drivers and pedestrians go first who are going straight on along the same road. This also applies when you are on a priority road.

• When you turn right, watch out for cyclists and mopeds next to or behind you going straight on. Check your mirror and look over your shoulder (blind spot).
• When you turn left, you first let oncoming traffic going straight on pass.
• Pedestrians crossing the side road while walking straight on along your road also go first.

Memory aid: straight goes before bent (recht gaat voor krom).

5. A short turn goes before a long turn

Are you facing an oncoming driver and do you both want to enter the same side street? Then one makes a short turn (right) and the other a long turn (left, crossing the oncoming lane). The one turning left waits: a short turn goes before a long turn.

6. Priority for pedestrians

Pedestrians cause the most misunderstandings. Because pedestrians are not drivers, the rule of traffic from the right does not apply to pedestrians. You must let pedestrians go first in these situations:

1. Zebra crossing: pedestrians who are crossing or clearly want to cross go first. A cyclist riding across the zebra crossing does not have priority there.
2. Turning: pedestrians walking straight on along the same road and crossing the side road go first when you turn.
3. Leaving an exit or residential zone: when you come out of a car park, garage or residential zone (woonerf), you let everyone go first, including pedestrians on the pavement.
4. Blind or visually impaired pedestrians: with a white cane or guide dog, you always let them cross.
5. Pedestrians who are already crossing: let them continue safely, even if there is no zebra crossing.

Memory aid for pedestrians: zebra, turning, exit, cane. In those four cases you always let the pedestrian go.

Watch out at traffic lights: if you have green and turn while pedestrians also have green, you let them cross first.

7. Unpaved roads, exits and residential zones

At an equal intersection there are two important exceptions to the rule of traffic from the right:

• Unpaved road: if you drive from an unpaved road (sand, gravel) onto a paved road, you give way to traffic on the paved road, even if it comes from the left.
• Exit: an exit from a car park, petrol station, garage or driveway is not an intersection. Anyone leaving an exit lets everyone go first.
• Residential zone (erf / woonerf): the end of a residential zone (sign G6) counts as an exit. When you leave a residential zone, you give way to all traffic on the road you join.

8. Priority signs and shark teeth

Signs and shark teeth turn a junction into an unequal intersection: one road is then the priority road. The most important ones:

• B1 (priority road): you are on a priority road and have priority over traffic from side roads.
• B2: end of the priority road.
• B3: priority intersection; you have priority at the next intersection.
• B6 + shark teeth: give way to drivers on the crossing road (both directions).
• B7 (stop sign): stop completely at the stop line and then give way.

Shark teeth (haaientanden) are the white triangles on the road pointing towards you. They mean the same as sign B6: give way. You often find them at roundabouts and cycle paths. Read more about shark teeth, block markings and other lines in our article on road markings. All signs and their meaning are on our page about priority signs.

9. T-junction with three cars at once

A T-junction without signs is an ordinary equal intersection. The driver on the "through" part has no priority either: traffic from the right goes first.

Example with three cars: car A comes from the stem of the T, car B drives along the through road from the left and car C from the right.

• Car C has nobody on its right and goes first.
• Then car A, because B comes from the left as seen from A.
• Car B goes last, because A comes from its right.

With three cars at a T-junction it therefore never gets stuck: there is always one driver without traffic from the right. Only with four cars at a four-way intersection can it get stuck.

10. Memory aids for priority rules

Frequently asked questions about priority

Does traffic from the right always have priority?

No. Only at an equal intersection. A police officer, traffic lights, signs and shark teeth come first, and anyone coming from an unpaved road or an exit must also give way.

Does a cyclist from the right have priority over a car?

Yes, at an equal intersection. A cyclist is a driver, just like a car driver.

Does a bus have priority?

A public service bus is not a priority vehicle. However, within a built-up area you must let a bus pull away from a stop (when it signals). Outside built-up areas this rule does not apply.

What is courtesy priority?

That is what people call letting someone go first when you do not have to, for example to keep traffic flowing. It is not an official traffic rule: the other road user may not count on you stopping.

Do shark teeth apply to pedestrians?

Shark teeth apply to drivers on the road where they are painted. They do not give pedestrians priority; that requires a zebra crossing.

Practise priority situations

Knowing the rules is step one; recognising them quickly in a picture or video is step two. In our free CBR practice exam you get real priority questions with instant explanations. Also see the most common mistakes in the theory exam.