5 illustrated situations with answers

Home › Courses › Right of way

Five illustrated priority situations with full answers: train your reasoning on real cases from the Belgian highway code.

Cover, 5 illustrated situations with answers

Lesson objectives

Apply priority rules in 5 real intersection situations Quickly identify the type of intersection and signage present Make the right decision: who goes first?

Situation 1: Intersection with right-of-way priority

Intersection without signage, right-of-way priority

No priority sign is visible: the rule of article 12.3.1 applies, you give way to whoever comes from your right. Whoever comes from the right passes regardless of the direction they take : straight ahead, right or left. One nuance though: if they turn left, they must themselves give way to vehicles coming in the opposite direction on the roadway they are leaving (art. 19.3, 3°). Their priority over you does not exempt them from their own obligations.

B17

At intersection B17, right-of-way priority applies. The sign is a triangle with a cross in the center. There is neither STOP nor yield at this intersection. It is the general right-of-way rule that applies. You must check carefully to your right and give way to vehicles coming from there.

At the exam: When you see an intersection without signage, immediately think of right-of-way priority. Look at where other vehicles are coming from. Whoever comes from your right passes first.

Situation 2: Intersection with "Yield" sign

Intersection with Yield sign

Signal B1 requires you to give way to all drivers on the roadway you are entering (art. 12.3.1 a). Stopping is not required: if the roadway is clear, you proceed, but article 12.5 prohibits you from advancing as long as you cannot do so without risk of accident . Consequence for overtaking: article 17.2, 2° b) prohibits overtaking on the left at an intersection for drivers who must give way under article 12.3.1. You are exactly in this situation.

B1

B1, Yield. It is a white triangle with a red border, pointing downward. At the intersection, you must let all drivers on the roadway you are crossing pass. Slow down sufficiently in advance. You are not required to stop if the roadway is clear, but you must be ready to give way.

B3

Signal B3 announces signal B1 (yield) at the distance approximately indicated on the sign . No standard distance is set by regulation: read the number on the sign. Ease off as soon as you see it.

What the prohibition covers exactly. Article 17.2 concerns overtaking on the left of a towed vehicle , a two-wheeled motor vehicle or a vehicle with more than two wheels . A two-wheeled moped and a motorcycle fall into this list: you do not overtake them at these intersections. A bicycle , on the other hand, does not. Two cases of prohibition to distinguish: 17.2, 2° a) , at intersections where right-of-way applies, the prohibition concerns everyone ; 17.2, 2° b) , at other intersections, it only concerns drivers who must yield .

Situation 3: Intersection with STOP sign

The STOP sign requires you to come to a complete stop at the white stop line, even if no vehicle is approaching. You must yield to all drivers on the main road. As at the "Yield" intersection, overtaking on the left is prohibited .

B5

B5, STOP. Octagonal red sign. You must bring your vehicle to a complete stop at the stop line, make a full stop as defined by the Code, then yield to all other users. A mere slowdown constitutes an infraction.

B7

Signal B7 announces signal B5 (STOP) at the distance approximately indicated on the sign . The code sets no standard distance: it is the figure shown that matters. Anticipate as soon as you see it, because B5 requires a complete stop , not just a slowdown.

Key difference: "Yield" = you slow down and yield if necessary. STOP = you always stop, even if the road is clear.

Situation 4: Intersection on a priority road

Signal B9 indicates that you are traveling on a priority road : at subsequent intersections, drivers on cross roads yield to you, until signal B11 which ends this status, possibly announced by a B13 . Consequence for overtaking: since you are not at an intersection with right-of-way (17.2, 2° a) and you are not required to yield (17.2, 2° b), overtaking on the left is not prohibited by these two provisions. Other prohibitions in article 17.2 continue to apply, notably near a pedestrian crossing or in a curve with limited visibility.

B9

B9, Priority road. It is a yellow diamond bordered in white. You are driving on a road that has priority at the following intersections. Other road users must give way to you, unless indicated otherwise. Stay alert: priority never exempts you from attention towards pedestrians and cyclists.

B11

Sign B11 signals the end of priority road. It is a yellow diamond crossed out. From this point, your road no longer has priority. At the next intersections, you must again comply with the usual rules: right-of-way, STOP signs, and yield signs according to the signs you encounter.

B13

Signal B13 announces signal B11, that is, the end of priority road, at the distance approximately indicated. It is a warning that alerts you that your priority road status will soon end. Prepare to lose priority beyond signal B11 and apply the ordinary rules at subsequent intersections.

B15

B15, Priority passage . The symbol schematizes the intersection: the thick bar is the priority road, the thin bar is the one that yields. The code specifies that the horizontal bar may be modified to more clearly represent the layout: two B15 signs may therefore not look alike. Read the drawing and identify your branch.

To remember about overtaking at intersections (art. 17.2, 2°): it is prohibited on the left , and only for towed vehicles, two-wheeled motor vehicles and vehicles with more than two wheels, not for bicycles. Intersection with right-of-way : prohibited for everyone Other intersections: prohibited for those who must yield (so under B1 or B5) On priority road : these two prohibitions do not apply

Situation 5: Intersection with tram

Article 12.1 requires every user to yield to rail vehicles and to clear the railway track as soon as possible. Regardless of signage, regardless of which side the tram comes from, regardless of whether you are on a priority road. A statement to correct in people's minds: it is not that "the tram does not comply with the code." Its driver is subject to it like everyone else, and notably complies with the traffic signals that concern it. What article 12.1 creates is an obligation that rests on you.

To remember: facing a rail vehicle, neither right-of-way nor a B9 are debatable, article 12.1 applies to every user. And the classic trap: a pedestrian engaged on a crossing is also a user within the meaning of this article; they too do not pass before the tram.

Summary table: Who goes first?

Who goes first, and can you overtake?

Intersection Signaling Who has priority Overtaking on the left Right of way No sign, or B17 The one coming from the right (art. 12.3.1) Forbidden to all , except overtaking a bicycle (art. 17.2, 2° a) Yield B1 Drivers on the road being entered Forbidden for you, who must yield (art. 17.2, 2° b) STOP B5 Drivers on the road being entered, after complete stop Forbidden for you (art. 17.2, 2° b) Priority road B9, until B11 You Not forbidden by article 17.2, 2°, other prohibitions in article 17.2 remain applicable Traffic light intersection Light signals According to lights; they override priority signals on the same road (art. 6.3) According to the situation Presence of a tram Any signaling The vehicle on rails , for all users (art. 12.1) ,

Key points to remember

Right of way (art. 12.3.1): without signaling, the one coming from the right passes, regardless of direction B1 : yield the right of way, without obligation to stop, but only proceed without risk of accident (art. 12.5) B5 : completely immobilize the vehicle, then yield the right of way. Slowing down is not enough B9 : priority road until B11 ; B13 announces this end, B3 announces a B1 and B7 a B5, always at the distance shown on the sign Overtaking on the left : forbidden to all at intersections with right of way, and only to drivers who must yield in others. The prohibition does not apply to bicycles , but to mopeds and two-wheeled motorcycles Tram (art. 12.1): all users yield the right of way to it, including a pedestrian on a crossing Lights (art. 6.3): their operation overrides priority signals on the same road, except flashing yellow, signals above crossings, B22 and B23

Congratulations!

First complete the quiz of this lesson to validate your knowledge, then practice on the exam simulator and the MCQs . You have completed this entire course. Congratulations, time for practice!

BelgianLicenses

Theory without practice is forgotten: move on to the MCQs to solidify your knowledge.