Driving a roundabout — New York Permit Test
Driving a roundabout on the New York permit test — 5 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.
The rules
Approaching a roundabout a driver should follow the lane designation signs, choose the proper lane for multi-lane approach roadways, slow down and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
The lane is chosen before the circle, not in it. Changing lanes inside is where it goes wrong.
When approaching the roundabout, follow the lane designation signs and choose the proper lane for multi-lane approach roadways, slow down and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Traffic in the roundabout has the right-of-way, so a driver approaching should look to the left before entering.
The traffic that can hit you is coming round from the left. That is where to look.
Look to the left. Traffic in the roundabout has the right-of-way.
If another car is waiting at the yield line ahead of a driver, the driver should not stop in the crosswalk but should keep the crosswalk clear for pedestrians.
A car stopped on the paint blocks the one place people on foot are meant to cross.
If another car is waiting at the yield line ahead of you, do not stop in the crosswalk. Keep the crosswalk clear for pedestrians.
Bicyclists are permitted to ride within a roundabout and will ride in the lane just as other vehicles do, so a driver should not pass a bicycle in the roundabout.
There is no room to pass in a circle that tight. Waiting a few seconds is the whole cost.
Please do not pass a bicycle in the roundabout.
Once a driver has entered a roundabout they proceed counterclockwise to their exit and now have the right-of-way, turning on the right turn signal as they approach the exit.
The signal tells the car waiting to enter that the gap they need is about to open.
Once you have entered the roundabout, proceed counterclockwise to your exit.
On the test
What should a driver do on the approach to a roundabout?
Pick the lane the signs show. The lane is chosen before the circle, not in it. Changing lanes inside is where it goes wrong. New York State Driver's Manual, p.50: “When approaching the roundabout, follow the lane designation signs and choose the proper lane for multi-lane approach roadways, slow down and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.”
How this works
Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.
You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.
Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.
What it costs
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Where these come from
Every rule here is checked against New York State Driver's Manual, published by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-15.