The right-hand rule explained — Swedish driving theory

The right-hand rule is one of the most common questions on the Swedish theory test — and one of the simpler rules to understand once you've seen it in practice.

The short version

When two vehicles meet at a junction without road signs or traffic signals, the vehicle approaching from the right has priority.

That's the whole rule. But there are a few important exceptions.

When does it apply?

The right-hand rule applies when nothing else is signed. That means it kicks in when there are:

• No yield signs
• No stop signs
• No traffic signals
• No road markings indicating priority
• No main-road designation

In other words: the right-hand rule is the "default" in any junction without something explicit overriding it.

When does it not apply?

Equally important is knowing when the right-hand rule does not apply:

• On a main road — you have priority over side-road traffic
• At a yield or stop sign — you must give way
• At a roundabout — you yield to vehicles already in the circle
• Exiting from a private road, parking lot, or petrol station — you must yield
• Towards a tram — the tram always has priority

A typical exam question

A common phrasing: "You approach a junction without road signs. A vehicle is coming from your right. What applies?"

The answer is always: you must yield to the vehicle on your right — unless something else is signed.

Exam tip

This is the single most common mistake on these questions: people don't check for signs first. Before applying the right-hand rule, always scan the image for:

1. Road signs (yield, stop, main road)
2. Road markings (solid lines, yield-line markings)
3. Traffic signals

Only if none of those is present — apply the right-hand rule.

Summary

The right-hand rule itself is simple. The tricky part is remembering that it only applies when nothing else is signed. Train yourself to scan for the exceptions first, and the rest becomes automatic.