Crossroads and Staggered Junctions

Look for a red-bordered triangular warning sign showing a bold black plus-shaped crossroad symbol. As you draw closer, watch for Give Way signs (an upside-down triangle), octagonal red Stop signs, or advance warning plates such as 'Give Way 50 yds' or 'Stop 100 yds'. On busier routes, look out for the traffic signal warning triangle (red, amber, green circle symbol) and the traffic light heads themselves mounted high on posts.

Scan the building line on BOTH sides of the road ahead. At a crossroads, you will notice openings or breaks in the line of houses, hedges, boundary walls, and fences on both the left and right at roughly the same point, with the road continuing straight ahead beyond. If the gaps are offset rather than directly opposite, you are approaching a staggered junction.

The tarmac provides immediate clues before you can even see the junction mouth. Watch for changes in lane markings and approach lines.

Monitor the flow and behaviour of traffic ahead. Vehicles moving perpendicularly or decelerating indicate where side arms meet the main road.

As soon as you spot the crossroads, decide whether it is open or closed. This is about how much you can see along the crossing roads in both directions, and it directly sets your approach speed.

An open junction gives you a wide, clear view early on approach across all approaches. A closed junction has a blocked view: remember BBBV, which is Buildings, Bushes, Bricks (walls) and Vehicles (such as parked cars, delivery vans, and waiting lorries).

At a crossroads, a closed view matters on BOTH sides of the road. If buildings on the left block sight of traffic from the left, or parked vans on the right block sight of traffic from the right, your approach must be slow and prepared.

This is the most dangerous type of crossroads because nobody has priority. Approach slowly and look in all directions well before reaching the intersection.

Make eye contact with approaching drivers and signal your intentions clearly. Use your mirrors, proceed only when you are certain it is safe, and always be ready to stop. If you are in any doubt, hold back.

Pedestrian crossings have priority. As a general rule, give way to traffic already in the junction, but never assume other drivers will do the same.

These crossroads have Give Way lines or occasionally a solid Stop line on the minor road approaches.

At a Stop line, you must come to a complete stop before you observe. Apply the handbrake if needed to secure the car before making your checks.

Take extra care when emerging because visibility is usually restricted by walls, hedges, or parked cars. Signal your direction clearly and proceed only when it is safe to do so.

On your approach, plan your lane and get into position early. Follow road markings and overhead lane signs.

If you stop at the lights, check your door mirrors before moving off. Cyclists and motorcyclists can easily catch you up and filter down either side.

When changing direction, look all ways first. Another road user may have jumped the lights, or the signals might not be working correctly. If the lights have failed, treat the junction as an uncontrolled crossroads.

Do not enter the yellow box unless your exit road is clear. If traffic ahead stops and traps you on the grid, you commit an offence.

The key exception applies when turning right: you may enter and wait in the box if you are held back only by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.

Look ahead early on approach. Work out whether the car in front will clear the box and leave you enough room to follow without sitting on the markings.

When driving through on the major road, glance right and left for vehicles pulling out in front of you.

If you and an oncoming driver both want to turn right, try the offside to offside method explained below. On small, narrow roads you may have to go nearside to nearside instead.

On 30mph roads, use the walk-across rule: if you could comfortably walk across the road, you have enough time to drive across.

Use the MSPSL routine on approach exactly as you would at a standard T-junction. Control your speed, select the right gear, and prepare to stop.

The key difference is the Look phase. Your minimum observations are right, left, ahead, and then right again before you pull out. If your view is restricted, repeat the whole observation cycle.

This is the safest way of turning right at the same time as another road user. If the crossroads is wide enough, you can usually pass the other vehicle and turn behind each other, driver's side to driver's side.

Passing behind keeps your forward view of oncoming traffic open. You can clearly see approaching cars, motorcycles, and cyclists before crossing their lane.

This method is more dangerous because you turn in front of each other, passenger side to passenger side. The other car blocks your view of straight-ahead oncoming traffic.

Normally only do this when you can see fully down the road you are turning into. If you cannot see fully into the minor road, make eye contact with the other driver and work out who turns first. If in doubt, hold back.

When positioning to turn right, be alert to oncoming drivers who cut the corner by steering prematurely across the give-way lines or centre markings. If an approaching driver begins cutting the corner towards your position, stop cleanly before your point of turn, hold back, and allow them to clear rather than forcing an evasive swerve.

Equally, ensure your own vehicle does not cut the corner: drive straight forward to the centre point of the intersection before beginning your steering lock, keeping your tyres strictly in your own lane until you cross.