Crossroads signs in the UK: meaning and what to do

Crossroads signs warn you that a crossroads is ahead, where another road crosses the one you are on. They are part of the group of junction warning signs shown in Know your traffic signs. At the junction itself there may also be Give Way or Stop signs, or traffic lights.

This guide explains what a crossroads is, the different kinds you will meet, the signs that warn you about them and what to do as you approach.

A crossroads is a junction where one road crosses another, so traffic can come from up to 4 directions. You need to take care at any junction, because other road users may be turning, crossing or coming out in front of you. That is why warning signs are put up on the approach.

The crossroads sign is one of the UK road signs that warn of a junction ahead. It tells you to:

• expect a road crossing yours, and traffic from the left and right
• slow down
• look for other traffic, and be ready to stop or give way if you need to

The crossroads sign is a red warning triangle with a black cross. You will see it on the approach to a crossroads, often where the junction is hard to see until you are close, for example after a bend or over the brow of a hill.

The sign may have a plate below it showing the distance to the junction, for example 200 yds.

The broader line in the symbol shows the road that has priority. In the usual version, the upright line is broader, which means the road you are on has priority and traffic on the side roads should give way to you. Even so, be ready for a driver who pulls out.

• Unmarked junctions:

These junctions are most common in side roads and country lanes. They have no signs or road markings to show priority, so nobody has priority (Highway Code rule 146). Approach slowly, look in every direction and be ready to stop.

• Junctions with Give Way or Stop signs:

These junctions have signs and road markings on the minor roads: a Stop sign with a solid white line, or a Give Way sign with broken white lines. Traffic on the major road has priority. At a Stop sign you MUST stop behind the line (rule 171). At broken white lines you MUST give way to traffic on the major road (rule 172). Only go when it is safe.

• Junctions controlled by traffic lights:

In busy towns and cities, traffic lights often control junctions. You MUST stop behind the white line when the red light shows. Red and amber together also mean stop. Amber on its own means stop at the line, unless you have already crossed it or are so close that stopping might cause a collision. Green means you may go on if the way is clear.

Even on green, only go forward if there is room for you to clear the junction safely, or if you are taking up a position to turn right (rule 176). This stops the junction from getting blocked.

If the traffic lights are not working, treat the junction as an unmarked junction and go ahead with great care (rule 176).

• Box junctions:

A box junction has criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road. It is used at busy junctions to stop them getting blocked. According to the Highway Code, you MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear (rule 174). There is one exception: you may enter the box and wait if you want to turn right and are stopped only by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.

• Staggered junctions:

At a staggered junction, side roads join the main road from the left and the right, but they are not directly opposite each other.

If you want to go from one side road to the other, you cannot go straight across. You turn onto the main road, drive the short distance between the side roads, and then turn off again. So you cross the main road in 2 stages, and you need to give way at each one if signs or markings tell you to. A special warning sign, shown below, tells you a staggered junction is ahead.

If you want to get your driving licence, you need to know these signs. The crossroads sign is a warning sign, so like the other signs in this group it is a triangle with a red border, a white background and a black symbol.

The symbol shows the layout of the junction, and the broader line shows which road has priority. Whichever sign you see, slow down, look out for traffic joining or crossing your road, and be ready to stop. The sections below explain each sign and what to do when you see it.

This triangular warning sign has a white background, a red border and a black cross in the centre. It warns you that there is a crossroads ahead. The broader line shows the road with priority, usually the one you are on.

When you see it:

• Slow down and be ready to stop if you need to.
• Look out for traffic coming from the left and the right.
• Check the road markings and signs at the junction, because some crossroads have no Give Way or Stop markings, and then nobody has priority.
• Take extra care if it is hard to see along the side roads, or if the junction is busy.
• Do not assume other drivers will give way to you, even when your road has priority.

This triangular warning sign shows a T shape and warns of a T-junction ahead. On the plain version, with lines of the same width, the road you are on ends at the junction and you will have to turn left or right. On the version shown here, the broader line turns left: the road you are on bends to the left and has priority, and traffic joining from the right has to give way. Both are often used where the junction is hard to see, for example on a bend or over a hill.

Do not confuse it with the No through road sign, which also shows a T but is a rectangular information sign meaning the road ahead is a dead end.

When you see it:

1. Slow down. Vehicles may pull out and people may be crossing at the junction.
2. Be ready to stop and give way, depending on the signs and road markings. Where the road you are on ends, you will usually have to give way to traffic in both directions.
3. Look both ways, and keep looking, before you turn. Do not move off until there is a safe gap.
4. Get into the right position for your turn. To turn left, keep as close to the left as is safe (rule 183). To turn right, take up a position just left of the middle of the road (rule 179).
5. If it is hard to see, creep forward slowly until you can see clearly.
6. Look out for pedestrians and cyclists crossing or coming towards the junction.

This triangular warning sign shows a smaller road joining the main road from the left or the right. It is used where you may not see the side road until you are close, for example because of a hill or a bend. The main road, which has priority, is shown with a broader line.

When you see it:

1. Be ready for vehicles coming out of the side road. You have priority, but a driver may pull out without seeing you.
2. Slow down, so that you can react if something unexpected happens.
3. Check your mirrors, so you know what is behind you before you slow down.
4. Look out for pedestrians and cyclists using or crossing the side road, and be ready to stop.
5. If you are turning into the side road, give way to pedestrians who are crossing or waiting to cross it (rule 170).
6. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

This triangular warning sign shows 2 side roads joining the main road at slightly different points, one on each side, instead of one crossroads. The main road is shown with a broader line, because it has priority. The order of the side roads on the sign matches the order in which you reach them.

When you see it:

• Slow down, because vehicles may be turning into or out of both side roads.
• Be ready to stop and give way to other vehicles or to pedestrians.
• Look for the signs and road markings that show which road has priority.
• Check for traffic from both directions, as cars may be turning out of both side roads and it may be hard to see.
• Get into the right position in good time if you need to turn left or right.
• Look out for cyclists and pedestrians.

You will often see this sign on country roads, where it is hard to see far ahead. It warns that the bend ahead is not just a bend: a side road joins the main road on it. The sign shows both the bend and the side road. The bend may go left or right, and the side road may join on the inside or the outside of the bend. The main road is shown with a broader line, because it has priority.

When you see it, follow the advice for the other junction signs, and also:

• Slow down before the bend, not in it. Because the junction is on a bend, your view may be blocked, so you may have little time to react to a vehicle or person coming out of the junction.
• Leave a bigger gap. You may not be able to see far ahead, so leave more room between you and the vehicle in front in case it stops suddenly.
• Take more care in rain or ice. Bends are more dangerous when the road is wet or icy, so slow down even more.
• If you are turning into the junction, slow down more than usual before you turn, because the bend makes it harder to judge distances.

This warning sign tells drivers on the main road that traffic will join from the left ahead. Unlike the other junction signs, it shows a road that joins gradually and does not cross the flow of traffic. You will see it where a slip road or another road joins the main road from the left. The broader line shows the main road, which has priority. Even so, keep an eye on joining traffic, and if it is safe, move to another lane or adjust your speed to let it join.

This triangular warning sign has a white background, a red border and 3 black arrows in a circle. It tells you a roundabout is ahead, where traffic goes round a central island. When you reach the roundabout, give priority to traffic coming from your right, unless signs, road markings or traffic lights tell you otherwise (rule 185). The sign does not show the layout of the roundabout.

The sign may have a plate below it showing the distance to the roundabout. It is especially important on fast roads, where you need to slow down a lot before you reach the roundabout.

A roundabout is a kind of junction, and although it does not look like a crossroads, it is one of the junctions you will meet most often in the UK.

What sets the junction signs apart from other warning signs is their symbol, which is a simple map of the junction ahead. The symbol is black and clear to see against the white background. The symbol changes with the layout of the junction, and the broader line shows which road has priority.

Road markings and traffic lights help control traffic at junctions. A solid white line across the road with a Stop sign means you must stop at the line. Double broken white lines across the road mean you must give way to traffic on the major road. A white triangle painted on the road warns that a Give Way line is just ahead. At busy junctions there may also be traffic lights.

If you ignore these signs and markings, you commit an offence. For example, not stopping at a Stop sign and not obeying traffic lights each carry 3 penalty points, and 12 or more points within 3 years can lead to a driving ban.

Whether you are driving on country roads, where you may not see a junction until you are very close and unmarked junctions are more common, or in towns, where speeds are lower but there are more pedestrians, cyclists and parked cars that can block your view, keep these points in mind:

1. The first step when approaching any junction is to reduce your speed and take care.

When you see warning signs such as:

Crossroads ahead, T-junction ahead, Side road ahead, Staggered junction ahead or Junction on bend ahead, you should:

Begin to slow down. Keeping to the speed limit is not enough: slow down so that you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear (rule 154).

On country roads, rule 154 says to reduce your speed at the approaches to bends and at junctions and turnings, which may be partly hidden. Even where the national speed limit applies, it may not be safe to keep going at that speed as you approach a crossroads.

2. Then follow the advice for the sign you have seen, in the sections above.

Roundabout sign picture: a drawing of the official UK traffic sign from Wikimedia Commons, in the public domain.