Maneuvers and Right of Way

1️⃣ Maneuvers

🚙 1.1 Merging into traffic

  • ✅ Yield to those already on the road.
  • 👍 Those already traveling should, if possible, facilitate the merge.
  • 📈 On acceleration lanes:
    • Check that it’s safe.
    • Yield if necessary.
    • Accelerate toward the end of the lane to match speed.

↔️ 1.2 Lateral movement (lane change)

  • 📣 Signal with the indicator or by hand.
  • 🔍 Check that it’s safe before executing and again when finishing.

⏩ 1.3 Overtaking

  • 🚗 Travel at a clearly higher speed than the vehicle being overtaken.
  • 🚴‍♂️ When overtaking cyclists (a group counts as a single unit), pedestrians, mopeds, e-scooters, animals or animal-drawn vehicles: leave at least 1.5 m on any road; if the road has more than one lane per direction, a complete lane change is compulsory; outside built-up areas you must also reduce your speed by at least 20 km/h below the road's limit (since 1 October 2026, RD 518/2026).
  • ➡️ Overtake using the adjacent lane or the oncoming lane if safe.
  • 🚧 When passing a vehicle immobilised on the carriageway (breakdown, accident, emergency, roadside-assistance, maintenance or traffic-management service): keep at least 1.5 m lateral distance, even if you must use the opposite side of the road, and reduce speed by at least 20 km/h below the limit (art. 88 RGC, since 1 October 2026, RD 518/2026).

👤 Duties of the vehicle being overtaken:

  • 📉 Do not increase speed.
  • 📏 Keep close to the right edge.
  • 🚛 If it’s a heavy vehicle: indicate it’s safe to pass with the right indicator or a hand signal.

⛔ Overtaking prohibited:

  • 🚫 When visibility is insufficient.
  • 🚷 At pedestrian or cyclist crossings.
  • 🚧 In tunnels with only one lane per direction.
  • 🛤️ At level crossings (except two-wheeled mopeds).
  • 🚦 At intersections without a priority sign.

🔴 Related signs:

  • 🛑 No overtaking: applies to all (except two-wheeled motorcycles if they don’t enter the opposite lane).
  • 🚛 No overtaking for trucks (>3,500 kg): does not apply to buses.

🔄 1.4 Changes of direction

  • ⚠️ If the vehicle’s size prevents a normal turn, proceed with utmost caution.
  • 📉 Deceleration lane: reduce speed once inside the lane.

🔙 1.5 Reversing

  • 🚫 Prohibited except:
    • When moving forward is impossible,
    • Or for stopping, parking, or merging maneuvers.
  • ⚠️ Maximum of 15 m and never enter an intersection.
  • ⛔ Totally prohibited on motorways and expressways.

🅿️ 1.6 Immobilizations

Type Duration Conditions
🚫 Stop (forced halt) — Not a maneuver
⏱️ Standing (brief stop) <2 min Driver remains in the vehicle
🚗 Parking Unlimited Vehicle immobilized

🆘 Emergency stop:

  • 📍 Pull onto the shoulder if possible.
  • 🚨 Signal: hazard lights, position lights, marker lights, and the connected V-16 beacon (which replaced warning triangles on 1 January 2026).
  • 🦺 Wear a reflective vest when exiting.
  • ⬅️ Exit on the right-hand side.

🚇 In tunnels:

  • 📴 Switch off the engine.
  • 🚨 Use position and hazard lights.
  • 🚷 Leave via the nearest refuge.
  • 🔥 In case of fire: switch off the engine, leave the key, and exit opposite the fire.

🪝 Towing vehicles:

  • ✅ Allowed only for broken-down vehicles.
  • ⛔ Not allowed on expressways or motorways.

🅿️ 1.7 Stopping and Parking

🗺️ Depending on the type of road:

Type of road Conditions
Urban roads Allowed on the carriageway or shoulder if at least 3 m are left free
Interurban roads Only off the passable shoulder

⛔ Prohibitions:

  • 🚫 Where a prohibitory sign applies.
  • 🚧 On bends with poor visibility.
  • 🚇 In tunnels and underpasses.
  • 🅿️ Double parking, driveways, sidewalks, loading/unloading zones.
  • 🧑‍🦽 Lowered curbs or disabled spaces.
  • 🚌 Public transport stops.

🔐 Securing the vehicle:

  • 🛑 Switch off the engine; apply the parking brake.
  • 🔐 Lock the vehicle if leaving it.
  • ⬆️ On a slope: 1st gear uphill / reverse downhill.
  • 🚛 Heavy vehicles: use wheel chocks or turn wheels against the curb.

2️⃣ Right of Way 🚧

🚦 2.1 At intersections (no signs)

  • ➡️ Yield to the right (general rule).
  • 🏆 The following have priority:
    • Paved road over unpaved road,
    • Vehicles already inside roundabouts,
    • Motorway/expressway over merging traffic,
    • Public road over private access,
    • 🚋 Rail vehicles.

🚧 2.2 On narrow sections

  • 🛑 Priority signs determine who must yield.
  • 🔁 Without signs: the one who arrived first passes.
  • 📏 If in doubt, priority goes to (in order):
    1. Special vehicles,
    2. Vehicle combinations,
    3. Animal-drawn vehicles,
    4. Passenger cars with trailers,
    5. 🚍 Public transport,
    6. 🚛 Trucks and vans,
    7. 🚗 Passenger cars,
    8. Quadricycles,
    9. 🏍️ Motorcycles with sidecar,
    10. 🚲 Bicycles and mopeds.

⛰️ 2.3 Sections with steep gradients

  • 🔼 If there’s a narrowing: uphill traffic has priority,
  • ⚠️ Unless the downhill vehicle reaches a turnout first.

🌉 2.4 Crossing bridges or narrow works

  • 📍 Governed by signs.
  • 🚛 Special vehicles must not pass each other if the bridge is < 6 m wide.
  • 📏 Each vehicle needs at least 3 m of width.

📘 Source: General Traffic Regulations – DGT 2025


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