Right-of-way and intersections
You are already driving inside a roundabout. Which of these does the handbook require?
- Keep going counterclockwise, without stopping or passing. Correct answer
- Go clockwise and stay in the outer lane.
- Stop to let cars waiting at the next entry join the circle.
Why
Traffic in a roundabout moves one way around the central island, and that way is counterclockwise. Once you are in, you keep moving with it, with no stopping and no passing. Clockwise is the wrong direction. Stopping to wave in cars at an entry turns the rule upside down, because the drivers coming in are the ones who yield to everyone already circulating. If you go past the exit you wanted, there is no need to stop either: keep going around until you come back to it.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is Keep going counterclockwise, without stopping or passing.
The rule behind this one
Right of way in California: who goes first goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on right-of-way and intersections
- A pedestrian waiting at the corner looks right at you and makes eye contact as you approach. What does the handbook say this means?
- You approach a crosswalk that has built-in flashing lights, but right now the lights are not flashing. What should you do?
- You drive an electric car and are backing out of a driveway while a pedestrian with a guide dog walks nearby. Why does the handbook ask for extra care with hybrid and electric vehicles here?
- You reach an intersection that has no STOP or YIELD signs at the same time as another vehicle, which is on your right. What should you do?