Priority roadPortugal
Traffic rules
Portugal
1. Priority road
A priority road is a road whose traffic is given priority over traffic entering from intersecting roads. It is normally identified by a priority-road sign, while an end sign indicates where that continuing priority status stops.
Drivers on a priority road must still obey traffic lights, authorised officers, speed limits, crossings and turning rules. Having priority never allows a driver to proceed when doing so would create danger or block an intersection.
How does priority-road status work in Portugal?
Portugal uses via com prioridade. The sign gives the road’s traffic priority at successive junctions; the end-of-priority-road sign indicates where that status stops.
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Start of a priority road.
English • Traffic sign B3 • Priority road. Drivers on this road have priority at successive crossroads and junctions.
Português • B3 • Via com prioridade. Indicação de que os condutores que circulam na via em que o sinal se encontra colocado têm prioridade de passagem nos sucessivos cruzamentos e entroncamentos.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (Fer1997 • CC BY-SA 3.0)
🔗 Diariodarepublica.pt • Regulamento de Sinalização do Trânsito • artigo 21.º • B3
🔗 Ansr.pt • Republicação oficial retificada • B3 • página 12
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
Fer1997 • CC BY-SA 3.0 • Source revision 2014-08-02. Wikimedia original unmodified.
End of the priority road.
English • Traffic sign B4 • End of priority road. From this point, the road no longer has priority.
Português • B4 • Fim de via com prioridade. Indicação de que a partir do local em que o sinal está colocado a via deixa de ter prioridade.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (Fer1997 • CC BY-SA 3.0)
🔗 Diariodarepublica.pt • Regulamento de Sinalização do Trânsito • artigo 21.º • B4
🔗 Ansr.pt • Republicação oficial retificada • B4 • página 12
SVG source: Fer1997 • CC BY-SA 3.0 • Original revision 2014-08-02. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Artwork verified against Ansr.pt • official published diagram B4.
How can you tell where a priority road applies in Portugal?
Read the priority-road sign, the corresponding end indication and any supplementary junction diagram. Distinguish a continuing road designation from a sign that regulates only one junction. If a diagram shows the priority route turning, follow that diagram rather than assuming the straight-ahead road has priority.
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Does having road priority let you ignore other controls in Portugal?
No. Obey the applicable traffic signals and authorised directions, speed limits and crossing rules. Turning or changing lanes can require yielding, and having priority never permits entering a conflict that cannot be crossed safely.
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
