Roundabout signalling follows one simple pattern: signal right if you’re turning right (past 12 o’clock), don’t signal on approach if you’re going straight ahead, and always signal left as you pass the exit before the one you want to take. Most learner mistakes come from forgetting that last step, the exit signal, rather than the approach signal. Here’s the full picture, exit by exit, so it becomes automatic.
The golden rule of roundabouts
Treat a roundabout like a clock face and signal based on where your exit sits. The Highway Code splits it into three cases: turning left (first exit), going ahead (straight over), and turning right or full circle. The constant in all three is the left signal on the way out, once you’ve passed the exit just before yours, indicate left so traffic behind and waiting knows you’re leaving.
Turning left (the first exit)
Signal left on approach and keep it on through the roundabout until you’ve left. Approach in the left-hand lane unless road markings say otherwise. This is the most straightforward case because your single left signal covers both the approach and the exit.
Going straight ahead (usually the second exit)
Do not signal on approach. Approach in the left-hand lane (unless markings direct otherwise), stay in your lane, and then signal left as you pass the exit before the one you want. This exit signal is the step learners most often miss, without it, drivers waiting at later exits don’t know you’re coming off.
Turning right or going full circle
Signal right on approach and approach in the right-hand lane. Keep the right signal on as you travel round, then change to a left signal once you’ve passed the exit before yours. Timing that switch smoothly is what separates a confident roundabout drive from a hesitant one.
Mini-roundabouts
The same signalling logic applies, but everything happens faster and there’s less room to change lanes, so your observation and timing matter even more. Signal right for a right turn, left for a left turn, and give way to traffic from the right. Because mini-roundabouts are small, your exit signal often goes on almost as soon as you’ve entered.
Lane discipline matters as much as signals
A correct signal in the wrong lane still causes problems. As a rule: left exits and straight-ahead from the left lane; right exits from the right lane; and on multi-lane roundabouts, follow the painted arrows. Combining the right lane with the right signal at the right moment is exactly the kind of judgement examiners watch for, we cover the wider test in our guide to how to pass your driving test first time.
Multi-lane roundabouts: lanes and signals together
Larger roundabouts have two or more lanes on approach, and this is where signalling and lane choice have to work as a pair. Read the road markings and overhead signs early, they tell you which lane serves which exit, and they sometimes override the “clock face” default. As a general guide, use the left lane for the first exit and going straight ahead, and the right lane for exits to the right and going full circle, but always defer to the painted arrows. Keep your signal matched to your exit, stay in your chosen lane all the way round, and check your left mirror and blind spot before you move left to leave. Changing lanes on a roundabout without observation is one of the quickest ways to pick up a serious fault.
Common roundabout signalling mistakes
These are the slip-ups examiners see most often, and all of them are easy to train out:
- Forgetting the exit signal when going straight ahead, you signalled nothing on approach (correct) but then also forgot to signal left on the way out (incorrect).
- Signalling too early, so other drivers think you’re leaving at an earlier exit and pull out into your path.
- Leaving a right signal on after you should have switched to left, confusing traffic waiting at later exits.
- Right signal, left lane (or vice versa), the signal and lane contradicting each other.
- Snatching the left signal on so late that it’s useless to the traffic it’s meant to inform.
Why roundabouts feel hard (and how to fix it)
Roundabouts overload learners because you’re judging gaps, choosing a lane, signalling, and reading other drivers all at once. The fix is repetition on real roundabouts, not theory. On an intensive course your instructor will route you through busy roundabouts again and again until the signalling is muscle memory, our Improver course is built for exactly this kind of focused skill-building, and our step-by-step process makes roundabouts a core part of training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the rules for signalling on a roundabout?
Signal right and approach in the right lane if your exit is past 12 o’clock; don’t signal on approach if you’re going straight ahead; and always signal left as you pass the exit before the one you intend to take. For a left turn at the first exit, signal left on approach.
How should I signal when entering a roundabout?
Signal before you reach the roundabout: left for the first exit, right for exits past 12 o’clock, and no approach signal for straight ahead. Your signal tells waiting and following traffic which way you intend to go, so it must be on early enough to be useful.
How do you signal when leaving a roundabout?
Always signal left once you have passed the exit immediately before the one you want. This applies whether you went left, straight on, or right, the left exit signal is the step learners most commonly forget.
What is the golden rule of roundabouts?
Give way to traffic already on the roundabout coming from your right, and signal according to where your exit sits on the “clock face”. Lane choice, observation and timing the exit signal are what make roundabouts safe and smooth.