prioriteitsaanduidingen

Prioriteitsaanduidingen are the set of traffic signs and road markings that indicate which road user has the right of way at intersections, merges, and other points where traffic streams cross. They help organize traffic flow and reduce conflicts by clarifying who should yield or proceed. The system works alongside other right-of-way rules and can be overridden by traffic signals, police instructions, or temporary detours.

The components include both signs and road markings. Common signs indicate that a road is a priority road, that a junction does not have priority (end of priority), or that a driver must yield to traffic on the main road. Temporary work-zone signs may designate shifts in priority. In addition to signs, road markings such as yield lines or priority arrows convey right-of-way at specific approaches.

Interpretation is governed by national traffic regulations, which in Europe generally align with the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. While the basic concept is uniform, national variants exist in shapes, colors, and exact meanings. For example, a typical priority-road sign signals that traffic on that road has the right of way at intersections until an end-of-priority sign appears; a give-way sign requires drivers on minor roads to yield to traffic on the more important road.

Impact and context: Prioriteitsaanduidingen shape driver behavior at crossings, reduce uncertainty, and improve safety. They interact with other control devices such as traffic lights and roundabouts, where the priority rules may differ from standard junctions. See also road signs, right of way, and traffic regulations.