Roundabout rules in Belgium: priority, indicators and lanes
Home › Roundabout rules in Belgium: priority, indicators and lanes
Roundabouts worry many candidates, yet the rules fit in a few lines. In Belgium most roundabouts give priority to vehicles already circulating. Indicators, choosing a lane and the place of cyclists are recurring theory exam questions.
Key points
Priority to the roundabout
Marked by signs D5 and B1, the roundabout gives priority to traffic already on it.
Indicate when leaving
Signal right to leave; it is not mandatory when entering.
Cyclists and pedestrians
When leaving, give way to cyclists and pedestrians crossing the exit.
Who has priority at a roundabout?
A roundabout is marked by sign D5 (three arrows in a circle). When it is combined with a B1 give-way sign at the entry, as at the vast majority of Belgian roundabouts, you must give way to vehicles already on the roundabout.
Without a B1 sign, the general rule applies: priority to the right. This is rare, but it exists and the exam may show it: always check the signs at the entry.
Indicators: entering and leaving
To leave the roundabout, the right indicator is compulsory: it tells drivers waiting to enter what you are doing. When entering, indicating is not required, since everyone turns the same way. Do not signal right unless you are taking the next exit: it misleads others.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| Approach | Slow down, spot the B1 sign and your exit |
| Entry | Give way to vehicles on the roundabout |
| On the roundabout | Drive anticlockwise, do not stop without reason |
| Before your exit | Right indicator |
| Exit | Give way to crossing pedestrians and cyclists |
Multi-lane roundabouts
On a two-lane roundabout, use the right lane for the first or second exit and the left lane to go further, unless markings say otherwise. Before leaving, you must move to the right, giving way to vehicles already there.
Cyclists may ride on the roundabout or on a cycle path around it. On a separate cycle path they do not have priority when entering, but you give way to them when you leave and they are crossing.
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Frequently asked questions
Who has priority at a roundabout in Belgium?
When there is a B1 sign at the entry (most cases), vehicles already on the roundabout.
Must I indicate when entering?
No. Indicating is compulsory to leave, with the right indicator.
And if there is no give-way sign?
Priority to the right applies: vehicles entering then have priority.
Which lane on a two-lane roundabout?
Right for the first exits, left to go further, unless markings say otherwise.
Do I give way to cyclists when leaving?
Yes, to cyclists and pedestrians crossing the exit.