Right of way
Right of way in the Czech Republic: who goes first
Dominik Brablec
Driving instructor ·
Traffic situations are the highest-scoring questions in the theory test, and most of them are about right of way. The good news: you do not need to memorise hundreds of pictures. You need one method and four rules.
A method that works every time
For every situation, go through these steps in this order:
- Are there traffic lights or a police officer directing traffic? Their instructions come first.
- Are there signs that regulate priority (Give way, Stop and give way, Main road)? Follow them.
- Otherwise, priority to the right applies.
- Finally, watch out for left turns: you also give way to oncoming traffic.
Priority to the right
At a junction with no priority signs and no traffic lights, you must give way to vehicles approaching from the right. This applies regardless of where you are heading.
Note that “right” is always from the point of view of the driver the question is about, not from the point of view of the picture.
Signs that change priority
Three signs decide right of way most often:
- Give way: you must give way to vehicles on the main road. You only have to stop if road safety requires it.
- Stop and give way: you must always stop, and then give way to vehicles on the main road.
- Main road: you are on the priority road and have priority over vehicles from side roads.
Traffic lights beat signs
Traffic signals take precedence over traffic signs and over the priority-to-the-right rule. You follow the signal for your direction.
On a green light, when you turn left you give way to oncoming vehicles unless a separate green arrow protects the turn.
Left turns: a common trap
A driver turning left gives way to oncoming vehicles that go straight or turn right. This applies even on the main road.
It is a favourite trap in the test: a vehicle on the main road has priority over side-road traffic, but if it turns left, it must let oncoming traffic pass.
How to practise
The fastest way is to see situations in motion. In the TurboTesty traffic quiz you arrange the order of vehicles in a 3D scene yourself and see why the correct order is correct.