Right-of-way and intersections
You reach the yield line of a roundabout and cars are already circling inside it. Who has the right-of-way?
- The traffic already circulating in the roundabout. Correct answer
- You, because the circulating cars are on your left.
- Whichever vehicle reached the roundabout first.
Why
Modern roundabouts work on a yield-at-entry rule: the vehicles already going around have the right-of-way, and anyone arriving waits at the yield line for a gap in that flow. Traffic moves counterclockwise around the central island, so the cars you must watch for come from your left, and the manual tells you to look left before entering. That turns the second option upside down, and the third invents a first-come rule that roundabouts do not use. The priority flips once you are in: after entering, you have the right-of-way on your way to your exit, and you yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk as you leave. Until you are inside, the traffic already circling has the road, and you fit into it rather than the other way around.
Where this comes from
New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), April 2026 version. The correct answer is The traffic already circulating in the roundabout.
More on right-of-way and intersections
- You are approaching a roundabout that has two entry lanes. When and how should you choose your lane?
- You have a green light and plan to go straight across. A car that entered the intersection before you is still completing its left turn across your path. What must you do?
- You want to turn left into a parking lot. There are no signs or signals controlling the turn, and an oncoming car is close. What must you do?
- You and another driver stop at STOP signs on crossing roads at the same moment. The other driver is on your left, and you both want to go straight. Who goes first?