Roundabouts in the Netherlands: who goes first and when to indicate
On almost every Dutch roundabout the traffic already on the roundabout goes first. You see it at the entry: sharks' teeth (white triangles on the road) and sign B6 tell you to give way. Indicate right before you leave; you do not need to indicate when you enter. Cyclists on the cycle path around the roundabout: the sharks' teeth tell you who gives way.
The basic rule: give way when you enter
Sharks' teeth are a road marking with a legal meaning: drivers who face them give way to drivers on the road they are crossing or joining (article 80 of the RVV 1990, the Dutch traffic regulations). On a roundabout they sit at every entry, usually together with sign B6, a red-edged triangle pointing down. So you give way to everything already on the roundabout, and you only enter when there is room.
Giving way does not mean you always stop. If the roundabout is clear, you drive on. If it is not, you slow down or wait.
The exception: no sharks' teeth
Without sharks' teeth and without sign B6, a roundabout is an ordinary junction and the general rule applies: traffic from the right goes first (article 15). Then the traffic entering has priority over the traffic on the roundabout. You rarely see this today, but the exam likes to test it, so always look at the road surface at the entry.
Indicating
| Moment | What you do |
|---|---|
| Entering the roundabout | No need to indicate, whichever way you go. |
| Leaving the roundabout | Indicate right before your exit. This tells drivers waiting at that entry that you are leaving. |
| Changing lanes on a two-lane roundabout | Indicate, as for every lane change, and give way to traffic in the lane you move into (articles 54 and 55). |
Cyclists around the roundabout
Many roundabouts have a separate cycle path running round them. Where the cycle path crosses an entry or exit, the sharks' teeth decide who goes first: whoever faces them gives way. As a rule of thumb, inside built-up areas cyclists usually have priority over cars entering and leaving, and outside built-up areas they usually give way. Do not rely on the rule of thumb in the exam or on the road: look at the markings.
Even where a cyclist has to give way, you still have to avoid a collision. Expect cyclists from both directions on a two-way cycle path. More on cycle paths and lanes: cyclists and bike lanes in the Netherlands.
Two lanes and turbo roundabouts
On and just before a roundabout you do not have to keep to the right of the carriageway, and you may overtake on the right (articles 47 and 48). That is what makes two-lane roundabouts work: in general you use the right lane for the first exits and the left lane for exits further round.
A turbo roundabout has two lanes separated by raised kerbs. Arrows on the road and signs before the roundabout show which lane leads to which exit. Choose your lane before you enter and stay in it; you cannot change lanes on the roundabout itself.
Trams on a roundabout
At junctions, and a roundabout is one, you give way to trams, also when they come from the left (article 15). Where a tram line crosses a roundabout there are usually traffic lights; then you follow the lights. More in trams in the Netherlands.
The classic exam trap: a roundabout picture without sharks' teeth. Then the roundabout is an ordinary junction and traffic from the right goes first, even if it is entering.
Frequently asked questions
Who has priority on a Dutch roundabout?
On almost every roundabout, traffic already on the roundabout. The entries have sharks' teeth (white triangles on the road) and sign B6, which mean you give way to traffic on the road you are joining. Only on a roundabout without sharks' teeth and without B6 does the normal rule apply: traffic from the right goes first.
Do I have to indicate on a roundabout?
Indicate right before you leave, whichever exit you take. When you enter you do not need to indicate.
Do cyclists have priority on a roundabout?
It depends on the sharks' teeth on the cycle path. Inside built-up areas cyclists on the cycle path around a roundabout usually have priority; outside built-up areas they usually give way. Whoever faces the sharks' teeth gives way.
Can I overtake on the right on a roundabout?
Yes. On and just before a roundabout you may overtake on the right, and you do not have to keep to the right of the carriageway. That is what makes roundabouts with two lanes work.
What is a turbo roundabout?
A roundabout with two lanes separated by raised kerbs. You choose your lane before you enter, following the arrows for your exit, and you stay in it: you cannot change lanes on the roundabout itself.
Sources, checked on 3 November 2026:
Written by Nawfal Serraji, traffic law specialist and founder of HaalTheorie.