In short
A roundabout is a give-way junction in a circle. UK roundabouts flow clockwise on approach and anticlockwise on the roundabout itself. Give way to traffic from your right, choose your lane on approach, signal your exit one before yours, and commit when there is a clear gap — hesitation is the most marked roundabout fault.
Updated 2026-06-06 · 9 min read · By Driving Routes Editorial
Lane choice on approach
Left lane: first exit, or straight ahead if road markings indicate. Right lane: any exit after 12 o'clock, including U-turns. Multi-lane junctions override the default rule — always follow the painted lane arrows.
Signalling
Left exit (first exit): signal left on approach. Straight ahead: no signal on approach; signal left after passing the exit before yours. Right exit (third exit or later): signal right on approach; cancel and signal left after passing the exit before yours.
When to commit
Look right, not at the central island. If the gap is large enough that you wouldn't make oncoming traffic slow, go. Hesitating at a clear roundabout is one of the top three marked driving faults — examiners read it as a planning failure, not a safety win.
Mini roundabouts
Same rules, sharper steering. Treat the painted island as you would a normal central island — don't drive over it unless your vehicle is too large to navigate around.
Common roundabout faults
- Wrong lane on approach — almost always preventable by reading the painted arrows earlier.
- Late or missed exit signal — signal one exit before yours.
- Hesitating with a clear gap (planning fault).
- Cutting the lane on exit (steering fault).
- Stopping on the roundabout (severe — gives way is the rule, but once on, you have priority).