Road Traffic Act | Driving Lessons Dublin (2023)

driving at night

Make sure your lights, turn signals, reflectors, and license plate lights are clean and in good condition so you can see and be seen clearly at all times. A clean windshield is also important when driving at night.

Drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the distance covered by your lights. In good driving conditions on an unlit road, you can see about 100 meters with the headlights of a typical car. Dipped headlights let you see about 30 meters away, and a car traveling at 100 km/h covers that distance in about a second.

Keep your headlights properly adjusted. If they get out of line, they can blind oncoming traffic, even if they are dimmed.

Even with the best headlights, you can see less at night than during the day. Pedestrians and unlit bikes can be difficult to see in the dark, especially when dealing with glare from oncoming lights.

When to use headlights

When conditions require you to use headlights to drive safely, you must use them. At night, use low beams or high beams as needed. If in doubt, turn them on. Make sure the red lights and license plate lights on the back of your vehicle are working.

Use low beam:

Shortly after the start (dusk) and before the end (dawn) of lighting hours, as long as they are necessary for clear vision, when stopped in traffic, when meeting other traffic, in built-up areas where there is good street lighting, on continuously lit roads outside built-up areas, when hitting another vehicle, in dense fog, snow or heavy rain, when daylight is falling and in general so as not to disturb other road users.

In built-up areas with good street lighting, it is advisable to use dipped headlights or dipped headlights, if available, instead of parking lights.

Use high beams in situations, places and times outside of those listed above.

Only use fog lights in dense fog and snowfall. You must turn them off at all other times.

What to do if you are blinded by the headlights of another vehicle? Slow down and stop if necessary.

Always be aware of pedestrians or cyclists on your side of the road.

If the glare is coming from an oncoming vehicle, avoid it by looking at the shoulder (the edge of your lane) until the vehicle has passed. If glare from a vehicle behind you is reflected in your mirror, activate night driving mode on the mirror.

With a horn

Only use a horn to:
warn other road users of an approaching danger, or
For safety reasons, make them aware of your presence if reasonably necessary.

Remember that the horn does not give you the right-of-way.
Do not use your horn between 11:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in built-up areas, unless there is a traffic emergency.

intersections and roundabouts

crossings

See Section 6 for more information on these and other regulatory symbols.

right of way

Traffic going straight in both directions on a main road has the right-of-way at all times.

When you are at an intersection where the roads are of equal importance, the traffic on your right has the right of way. You must allow this traffic to pass before proceeding. It is important to understand that the right of way is not an absolute right. You must proceed carefully and be considerate of other road users.

When approaching a T-junction, traffic already on the road you are entering has the right-of-way. This means that any traffic on the road ending at the intersection must wait for other traffic to pass before turning left or right.

When you turn right at an intersection, traffic coming through the intersection from the opposite direction has the right of way.

If you want to turn right at an intersection and a vehicle from the opposite direction wants to turn onto the same street, the vehicle turning left has the right of way. If your vehicle turns right, you must wait for the other vehicle to turn first.

When approaching an intersection with a major road, you must give way to other traffic. This means yielding the right of way or letting them pass before entering the road you are heading onto.

Vehicles do not automatically have the right of way on the road. The overriding rule is to proceed with caution under all circumstances.

You must always give in:

Pedestrians already crossing at an intersection, pedestrians at a zebra crossing, pedestrians at a crosswalk when the amber light is flashing, and pedestrians and traffic when you start from a standing position (for example, from your position at a stop sign or parking lot).

For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of road safety, a vehicle should always give way to pedestrians.

You must also give in:

Traffic already turning at an intersection, traffic in another lane when you want to change lanes, and traffic on a public road when exiting a private driveway. Stop, look, listen and look again. This is your duty when entering the lane.

Motorists should be aware of cyclists appearing at the end of a cycle lane, as well as mopeds and motorbikes appearing at intersections, which due to their small size can be difficult to spot.

It is important to understand that right of way is not an absolute right of way. You must proceed carefully and be considerate of other road users.

You must always give in:

Turn right from a main road onto a side road

Check your mirrors and blind spots in time for following traffic and give a right turn signal. As soon as it is safe to do so, position yourself just to the left of the middle of the lane or in the space intended for traffic turning right.
If possible, leave space on the left for other vehicles.

Do not turn the steering wheel until you are ready to turn.

If there is a safety gap in oncoming traffic, finish your turn so that you are on the left side of the road you are turning onto.

Don't cut the corner when you turn. Don't do a "gooseneck" by having to pass the correct turning point and then turn back onto the street you want to turn onto.

Turn right from a secondary road onto a main road

Check your mirrors in good time for following traffic and give a right turn signal.

Once you can do this safely, take up a position just left of center street.

If you are at an intersection with stop or give way signs, wait at the entrance to the intersection until the road is clear in both directions.

If possible, leave space on the left for other vehicles.

If there is a safety gap in traffic coming from both directions, complete your turn so that you are on the left side of the road you are turning onto.

Look out for road markings directing you to follow a specific course.

Turn right at an intersection

turn back to back

Turn right at an intersection

If this is not possible, you can switch from near side to near side if necessary. This means starting the turn while the vehicles are still facing each other.

Turning from near side to near side

Turn right from a one-way street

Drive as close as possible to the right side of the one-way street. Be aware of areas that may allow two lanes of right turns.

Turn left from a main road onto a side road

Check your mirrors ahead of time for traffic following behind you.

Turn left and slow down.

Stay as close to the left-hand side of the road as possible and use your mirrors to look out for cyclists or motorcyclists coming from the left.

Look out for flashing yellow arrows that allow you to turn left when there is no traffic approaching from the right.

If possible, leave space on the right for other vehicles.

Make the turn and stay close to the left edge. Do not drive onto or climb onto the curb.

From a secondary road, turn left onto a main road

Check your mirrors ahead of time for traffic following behind you.

Give a left turn and slow down.

If you are at an intersection with stop or give way signs, wait at the entrance to the intersection until the road is clear.

Look out for flashing yellow arrows that allow you to turn left when there is no traffic approaching from the right.

If there is a left turn lane, you should use it.

When it is safe, exit your turn so that you are on the left side of the road you are turning onto.

Be careful not to swing too far when turning, and always give way to pedestrians and cyclists crossing the intersection before turning.

REMEMBER

You are not allowed to enter the yellow box junction unless you can exit without stopping.

An exception is when you want to turn right. In this case, you can enter the yellow box junction while waiting for a traffic gap from the opposite direction. However, do not enter the box if doing so would block other traffic with the right of way.

Yellow box crossings can also be found at level crossings or tram crossings. Never drive into those yellow box intersections unless you can exit them without stopping.

roundabouts

By law, a driver must enter a roundabout by turning left. Treat the roundabout as an intersection and give way to traffic already on it.

Approaching a roundabout

Decide which exit you need to take as early as possible.
Heed all traffic signs, traffic lights and lane markings that guide you into the right lane and act accordingly.

At all stages, remember: “Mirror, signal, mirror, manoeuvre”. First, watch out for the following traffic with the mirrors and, if necessary, signal your intention in good time to warn other road users accordingly.

Change to the correct lane when it is safe to do so.

Be aware of the speed and position of all traffic around you and adjust your speed according to traffic conditions.

Follow proper procedures and instructions when approaching and driving on roundabouts.

When you reach the roundabout

Unless instructed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights, give way to traffic coming from the right. Where traffic lights control the roundabout, you must obey them.
You must obey any road markings on the lanes and/or other instructions indicating which lane to use if you intend to take a specific exit from the roundabout.
Watch out for vehicles already in the roundabout. Pay particular attention to their signals and try to gauge where they want to exit.
Watch out for other road users and watch out for cyclists or motorcyclists on your left or right.
Before proceeding, look ahead to make sure traffic ahead of you at the roundabout has cleared. This means you can continue to the roundabout without blocking traffic coming from the right.

At or exiting the roundabout

Unless road signs or road markings indicate otherwise, follow the steps below when taking the first exit, going straight or taking subsequent exits from a roundabout.

Turn left:
Blink left and start in the left lane.
Keep left at the roundabout and continue signaling left to exit.

Turn left

Stay in the left lane, indicating 'left' as you approach and proceeding until you pass the roundabout.

Go straight;
Start in the left lane, but don't signal yet.
Signal left after passing the exit in front of the desired one.

In situations where: the left lane is for left turns only, or is blocked or closed, or when instructed by a Garda, you may follow the course shown by the dashed red line in the illustration.

Go straight

Take later exits;

Signal right and drive in the right lane.
Keep right at the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout.

Check your mirrors, blink left, and when it's safe to do so, head to the exit.

Signal left after passing the exit in front of the desired exit.

Stay in the right lane, signal right as you approach, and maintain this signal until you have passed the exit ahead of the intended exit. Then switch to the “left” indicator.

If there are more than three lanes of traffic at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane when entering and through the roundabout.

Sometimes a roundabout exit with two or more lanes may narrow to one lane for a short distance. Drivers in the terminated lane should avoid traffic in the other lane.

Drivers should be aware of road markings and move into the appropriate lane if it is safe to do so, bearing in mind to be considerate of other road users and to yield when necessary in the interests of road safety.

In any case, pay attention to this and give plenty of space for:

Pedestrians who may cross the entrances and exits,
traffic crossing in front of you in the roundabout, especially vehicles that want to exit at the next exit,
Traffic straddling lanes or misplaced,
Motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders who can stay in the left lane and signal right if they intend to proceed around the roundabout,
Long vehicles (including those with trailers) which, due to their length, may have to take a different course when approaching or in the roundabout. Pay attention to their signals.