Obligation to give way at the exit

The basic rule when exiting

Anyone driving from the exit has a duty to yield to all traffic on the road, including pedestrians and cyclists on pavements and footpaths and cycleways.

What is considered an exit?

You must give way to everyone

• Pedestrians crossing the pavement you drive over.
• Cyclists on footpaths and cycleways.
• All traffic on the road you exit on, regardless of direction.

This is a rule many people break in practice, and it regularly appears on the theory test .

How to do it safely

• Stop completely before a pavement or pedestrian and cycle path.
• Check both directions for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Wait until you have a clear lane before rolling on to the road.
• Use turn signals to show direction.

Read more about interaction with soft road users and how giving way works in various intersection situations .

Further reading

• The right rule explained step by step
• Walkway and pedestrians’ right of way
• Common mistakes on the test

How to recognize this topic on the test

On the class B theory test, obligation to give way at the exit is usually tested through a practical situation, not as an isolated fact. Read the whole question before looking at the answer options. Ask yourself who has responsibility, which risk is greatest, and what gives the best safety margin.

• Connect the rule to a practical driving situation: what do you see first, who is affected, and which action gives the best safety margin?
• Look for small details in the question, such as signs, speed, visibility, road conditions, positioning and whether another road user has already started an action.
• Choose the answer that shows early risk awareness. On the theory test, the right answer is often the one that prevents danger, not merely the one that is barely legal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Memorizing a rule without connecting it to positioning, speed and cooperation.
• Overlooking words such as “before”, “after”, “at” or “may” in the question.
• Choosing an answer that is legal in theory but poor defensive driving in practice.

How to practice further

Use this article as a checklist after taking a practice test. If you answer a question about this topic incorrectly, write down what you missed: rule, sign, positioning, speed, responsibility or an exception. Then take a few new questions on the same topic before mixing it back into a full test.

Read also:

• Yield to pedestrians and cyclists
• Right of way: signs, lights and police direction
• Right of way and intersections
• Signs and road markings