Lesson 2 of 59 · Dutch traffic rules

Priority to the right Voorrang van rechts

De regel · The rule

At an equal junction (no signs, no shark teeth, no lights) traffic from the RIGHT goes first.

RVV 1990 art. 15 lid 1
RIGHT
RIGHT

Why this rule exists

Without signs, everybody needs the same simple rule to know who goes. "Rechts gaat voor" is it.

Wist je dat? · Did you know?

  • Most junctions in Amsterdam residential streets have no signs at all: priority to the right is the rule you will use most.
  • Priority to the right also counts for cyclists and moped riders coming from the right.

Test yourself

1Equal junction: a car comes from your left, a cyclist from your right. In what order do you go?

  1. You, then the cyclist, then the car
  2. Cyclist, then the car, then you
  3. Cyclist, then you, then the car
  4. Car, then you, then the cyclist
Show the answer

C: Cyclist, then you, then the car. Each gives way to whoever is on their right (art. 15): the cyclist goes first, then you, and the car from your left waits for you.

2A junction without signs. You drive on a normal paved road. From your right, a car comes out of a sand road (no asphalt, no bricks). Who goes first?

  1. You: a car coming out of an unpaved road always gives way
  2. The car: it comes from your right
  3. Whoever reaches the junction first
  4. The car, unless you signalled first
Show the answer

A: You: a car coming out of an unpaved road always gives way. The one exception to priority to the right: traffic coming out of an unpaved road (sand, gravel, dirt) gives way to traffic on a paved road, from either side, even when it comes from your right (RVV 1990 art. 15 lid 2). So here the car waits for you.

3Traffic is stuck just past an equal junction. Nobody comes from the right. You…

  1. drive onto it, since nobody comes from the right
  2. wait before the junction until there is room
  3. move into it so you keep your place in line
  4. drive onto it with your hazard lights on
Show the answer

B: wait before the junction until there is room. Art. 14: you may not block a junction. Having nobody on your right only settles priority, not whether there is room beyond it.

Kees' tip

Slow to walking pace before the junction and turn your head RIGHT first. If anything is coming from there, it goes first.

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