Traffic regulations and road signs
How rules are ranked
North Macedonia drives on the right. Under the Road Traffic Safety Law, when instructions conflict apply this order: police officer or authorised traffic controller, then traffic lights, then road signs, then road markings, then general traffic rules. A STOP or YIELD sign is a priority sign, not a warning sign. Warning signs are triangles with a red border; prohibition signs are circles with a red border; mandatory signs are blue circles; information signs are usually blue squares.
Core sign and regulation points
- A STOP sign requires a complete stop at the stop line, then a check for traffic; YIELD requires giving way without necessarily stopping.
- Speed limits are maximums, not targets: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside built-up areas, and 120 km/h on motorways unless a sign says otherwise.
- Red lights mean stop before the stop line or crossing; amber means stop unless stopping would be unsafe.
- Supplementary plates under a sign change its scope, distance or category of road user.
Worked example
You approach a junction with a STOP sign and a police officer waving you through. The officer's signal overrides the sign. You slow, check the junction, and proceed as directed. If the officer were not there, you would stop fully at the line, then give way.
Traps that cost marks
Assuming a warning triangle gives you priority; rolling through a STOP sign when the road looks empty; missing a supplementary plate that restricts the sign to certain hours or vehicles; treating the speed limit as a safe speed in rain or gravel.