Give way rules, intersections and roundabouts
Give-way rules, intersections and roundabouts test whether you can read priority correctly. Fiji drives on the left, so every rule below assumes left-hand traffic and clockwise circulation at roundabouts.
Intersections without signs or signals
- Give way to vehicles approaching from your right.
- If you are turning across oncoming traffic, give way to vehicles going straight ahead or turning left.
- At a T-junction, the road that ends gives way to the through road.
- Never enter an intersection unless you can clear it; a blocked junction is an offence even on green.
Give way and stop signs
- Give way: slow down, be ready to stop, and proceed only when the way is clear. Stopping when nothing is coming is not required, but hesitation is safer than a collision.
- Stop: a full stop at the line, then give way. A rolling stop is a fail.
Roundabouts
- Give way to traffic already circulating, which approaches from your right.
- Travel clockwise. Signal right on approach only if you are turning right, and signal left before your exit.
- Do not change lanes inside the roundabout; choose your lane before entering.
- Do not enter unless there is a gap you can clear without stopping inside the circle.
People who always have priority
- Pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into.
- Emergency vehicles using sirens or flashing lights: pull left and stop if it is safe.
Worked example
You reach a four-way intersection with no signs at the same moment as a car approaching from your right. You want to go straight; the other car is turning left into your road. Who goes? You give way. The car is on your right and its path crosses yours, so it proceeds first. Only after it has cleared do you move, checking left again in case a vehicle has arrived.
Traps
- Waving another driver through: your right of way is not yours to give away, and a wave can cause a crash you are blamed for.
- Assuming an indicator gives priority - it does not.
- Giving way to cars waiting to enter a roundabout rather than those already in it.
- Stopping inside a roundabout because you entered without a gap.