Home Guides Roundabouts in Ireland: lanes and signals, finally clear
Learning to drive · IrelandRoundabouts in Ireland: lanes and signals, finally clear
The working rule: think of the roundabout as a clock. Exits before 12 — approach in the left lane, no signal in, signal left after the exit before yours. Exits past 12 — right lane, signal right in, then signal left the same way out.
The clock method
Picture the roundabout as a clock face with your entry at six. For exits up to 12 o’clock, approach in the left lane and take the roundabout without signalling in; for exits past 12, approach in the right lane signalling right and hold your line around. Either way, the exit routine is identical: as you pass the exit before yours, signal left, check the left mirror, and leave. The Rules of the Road’s diagrams show the standard cases — worth ten minutes with the actual pictures.
Where learners lose marks
Observation and discipline, not navigation: entering without properly yielding to traffic from the right, drifting across lanes mid-roundabout, signalling left too early (which invites someone out in front of you at the wrong exit), and stopping dead on a clear roundabout out of nerves. Approach slow enough to go without stopping when it is clear — testers reward decisive, observed progress over hesitation.
The awkward ones
Local road markings override the generic rule — big junctions often paint destination lanes, so read the arrows early and choose lanes before the queue forms. On mini-roundabouts the geometry is tight but the law is the same: yield to the right, keep it slow, and physically go around the dome rather than over it. Where two lanes exit together, hold your lane through the exit — lane drift on exit is the classic multi-lane fault.
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Frequently asked questions
When exactly do I signal left to exit?
As you pass the exit before the one you want — then mirror-check and leave. Signalling earlier misleads traffic waiting at earlier exits; later gives following drivers nothing to work with.
Which lane for going straight ahead?
Generally the left lane with no signal on approach, unless road markings assign lanes differently — painted arrows always win over the generic rule. Read them early.
Who has right of way on a roundabout?
Traffic already on the roundabout, coming from your right. Yield means adjust speed and be ready to stop — not necessarily stop dead when it is visibly clear.
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