Roundabout rules in Quebec: who yields, and when to signal?

Right of way, direction of travel and turn signals in a carrefour giratoire.

Short answer: as you approach a roundabout, slow down and yield to road users already in it. Once inside, go around counter-clockwise, don’t stop in the ring, and use your turn signal to exit.

What the Code requires

The Code de la sécurité routière (Quebec’s Highway Safety Code) has a section just for roundabouts (s. 358.1):

before entering, drivers slow down and yield to those travelling in the roundabout;
once inside, they travel counter-clockwise;
cyclists keep following their own rule of riding near the right edge of the road (ss. 358.1 and 487).

Two more rules round this out: you may not stop a vehicle in a roundabout unless necessary (s. 386, para. 4.1), and pedestrians may neither cross the ring’s roadway nor walk on the central island (s. 453.2).

Step by step

The SAAQ handbook describes the technique (Guide de la route, ch. 4, “Le carrefour giratoire”). In short:

Slow down on the approach and read the signs. A recommended speed is posted before the entrance. Be ready to stop if a pedestrian is crossing or a car is coming from your left inside the ring.
Yield: first to pedestrians, if any, then to vehicles already in the ring, which have priority.
Enter to the right when the way is clear. The handbook says you do not need to signal when entering.
Follow the ring without passing or stopping, except in an emergency such as avoiding a collision.
Exit with your turn signal on, watching for pedestrians.

Red and white downward-pointing triangle: yield sign — Simplified illustration (original drawing).

Roundabout signs

Sign	Message
Yellow hazard diamond showing a roundabout	A roundabout is coming up
Yield at a roundabout (Cédez le passage)	Let vehicles already in the ring go first
Lane direction sign (multi-lane roundabout)	Which lane to use to turn or go straight
Sign on the central island	The direction of travel in the ring

Source: Guide de la route, ch. 3, “Cédez le passage à un carrefour giratoire”, “Direction des voies” and the hazard signs (“Chevrons d’alignement” and the roundabout-ahead sign). In a multi-lane roundabout, pick your lane before you enter, using these signs.

Common mistakes

Stopping in the ring to let someone in: that reverses the rule, and stopping there is prohibited unless necessary.
Forgetting to signal on the way out: drivers waiting to enter rely on it.
Entering without looking left: priority belongs to traffic coming around the ring.

Key points for the test

Traffic already in the roundabout has priority; yield before entering.
Counter-clockwise, entering to the right.
Signal when exiting (not needed when entering, per the handbook).
No passing or stopping in the ring, except in an emergency.

Test yourself on this topic
Original questions with an explanation and a source, “Highway Safety Code” section.
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Official sources

Code de la sécurité routière (Highway Safety Code, CQLR c. C-24.2), ss. 358.1, 386, 453.2 and 487
SAAQ, Guide de la route (4th ed., 2024, French), ch. 3, “Cédez le passage à un carrefour giratoire”, “Direction des voies”, “Chevrons d’alignement”; ch. 4, “Le carrefour giratoire”

General information page, current as of 2026-10-28. If in doubt, the official text prevails. Rules can change: check saaq.gouv.qc.ca and legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca.