Giving way
To give way means to slow down or stop if necessary to avoid a collision and to wait until it is safe to proceed.
There are many situations other than just GIVE WAY signs where you have to give way. These include:
- at STOP signs
- turning across the path of an oncoming vehicle at an intersection
- turning from a terminating road onto the ongoing road at a T-intersection.
STOP and GIVE WAY lines on the road have the same meaning as STOP and GIVE WAY signs, in case a sign is missing.
Remember if you turn at an intersection, you must also give way to pedestrians crossing the road you are entering.
STOP or GIVE WAY signs are placed at intersections where extra care is needed because of limited visibility, or where vehicles on the other road have priority.
Video of giving way
Video transcript
Is it true that you must give way to the right in all situations?
That's not always the rule.
At an unsigned crossroad, you must give way to all vehicles approaching from your right. But if you want to turn right, you must give way to all oncoming vehicles too.
If you're driving on a road that ends in a T-intersection, you must give way to all vehicles on the continuing road.
And naturally, if you come to a STOP sign or a GIVE WAY sign, you must give way to all other vehicles as well.
So what happens at an intersection with both a STOP and a GIVE WAY sign? Contrary to popular belief, a STOP sign is not more powerful than a GIVE WAY sign, the signs effectively cancel each other out and normal give way rules still apply. Both must give way to all vehicles, then because car A is turning right, it must give way to car B.
Finally, if you're planning to do a U-turn, you must give way to all other vehicles before turning.
Knowing the give way rules helps you drive safely and avoid crashes.
Giving way at intersections with two STOP signs or GIVE WAY signs
A STOP sign is not ‘more powerful’ than a GIVE WAY sign when giving way.
In the image to the right, once the vehicles have given way to all other vehicles, they must then apply the give way rules to each other. Vehicle A (blue) must give way to Vehicle B (green) because it is turning right, across the path of Vehicle B (green).
Sections 67, 69 and 69A of the Queensland Road Rules apply.
Giving way at uncontrolled crossroads
At an uncontrolled crossroad, you must give way to the right.
In all three images below, Vehicle A (blue) must give way to Vehicle B (green).
Section 72 of the Queensland Road Rules applies.
Giving way at a T-intersection
If you are driving on the road that ends at a T-intersection, you must give way to all vehicles travelling on the road continuing through the intersection.
In the image to the right, Vehicle A (blue) must give way to Vehicle B (green).
Section 73 of the Queensland Road Rules applies.
Giving way when turning right
If you are turning right at an intersection, you must give way to vehicles coming from the opposite direction that are:
- driving straight ahead through the intersection
- turning left at the intersection.
In both images above, Vehicle B (green) must give way to Vehicle A (blue).
However, you don’t have to give way to a vehicle if it is driving on the road from a slip lane.
A slip lane is an area of road for vehicles turning left that is separated from other parts of the road by a painted island or traffic island.
Sections 67, 69, 72 and 73 of the Queensland Road Rules apply.
Giving way to buses
When you are driving in a built-up area where the speed limit is 70km/h or less, motorists must give way to a bus that displays a GIVE WAY sign on its rear right-hand side and is signalling to enter traffic from:
- a bus zone, bus stop or bus stop bay
- the shoulder of the road, or the left side of the road.
Take special care around school buses, especially when its yellow lights are flashing. Watch out for children who may run across the road from in front or behind the bus.
All vehicles, including buses, must indicate for five seconds before moving off from a parked position.
Section 77 of the Queensland Road Rules applies.
