Driving Tests

NJ Traffic Circles, Roundabouts and Jughandles: Who Has the Right of Way

informational·how to guide·Published April 14, 2026

Who yields at a New Jersey traffic circle?

The New Jersey Driver Manual says there are no set rules for driving into, around and out of a traffic circle. In most cases the circle's historical traffic flow pattern decides who has the right-of-way, and stop or yield signs at the entrances also decide. If you are in doubt, use extreme caution: the vehicle to the left yields to the vehicle approaching from the right.

Where these rules come from

The traffic circle and roundabout rules come from the 2026 New Jersey Driver Manual of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). The jughandle facts come from section 6.8 of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Roadway Design Manual, a road design manual for engineers. All facts are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (nj.gov/mvc) before you drive.

How to approach a New Jersey traffic circle

1
Read the sign at your entrance
Look for a stop sign or a yield sign before you reach the circle. A sign at the entrance decides who has the right-of-way, and you must obey it.
2
Watch the drivers already in the circle
Never enter a traffic circle until you have checked all signs and worked out what the drivers already moving in the circle are going to do.
3
Check for people before you turn in or out
Before any turn, scan left, right and behind, check your mirrors and blind spots, and look carefully for bicyclists and pedestrians. Crosswalks exist at all corners of an intersection unless a sign prohibits crossing.
4
Let common sense lead
There is no single rule for every circle, so the manual says common sense and caution must always prevail.

Who goes first at a New Jersey traffic circle: if this, then that

A yield sign faces you and cars are moving around the circle.

Slow down, give the right-of-way to the traffic in the circle and stop if necessary. Enter when there is a safe gap. Try this case in our free question about a yield sign at a traffic circle.

A stop sign faces you.

Stop completely within five feet of the nearest crosswalk or stop line. Enter only after you yield to any pedestrians and to traffic close enough to be an immediate hazard.

There is no sign and a major highway flows into and through the circle.

The highway usually dominates the flow and has the right-of-way.

There is no sign and no major highway.

Follow the circle's established traffic flow pattern. In most cases it decides who goes first.

You are still not sure who goes first.

Use extreme caution and the basic rule of an uncontrolled intersection: the vehicle to the left yields to the vehicle approaching from the right. Our guide to New Jersey right-of-way rules explains that rule at intersections with no signs or lights.

Traffic circle vs roundabout in New Jersey

Traffic circle vs roundabout in New Jersey
Point	Traffic circle	Roundabout
Design	A circle with no set rules for driving into, around and out of it	A one-way, circular intersection with traffic around a center island
Who goes first	The flow pattern of that circle and the signs at the entrances; in doubt, left yields to right	The signs at your entrance; obey them and yield when they require it
How you enter and leave	Follow the signs and the flow of that circle	Only with right turns, so you never turn left across traffic

How to drive through a roundabout

Turn right to enter, follow the flow around the island, and turn right to leave. This holds even when your exit is on the left side: you go around the island and do not turn left across the road. Test yourself with our free question about a left exit at a roundabout.
With no left turns, a roundabout removes some of the conflicting traffic that causes crashes at traditional intersections, which substantially reduces severe crashes. People on foot, people with disabilities and bicyclists use roundabouts too, so check for them each time you turn in and each time you turn out.

What is a jughandle in New Jersey?

NJDOT defines a jughandle as an at-grade ramp, at or between intersections, that lets drivers make indirect left turns and U-turns. At-grade means the ramp is at road level, not on a bridge. Streets that you use to go around the block are not jughandles.
The ramp leaves from the right lane of the highway, before or past the intersection, and takes you across the main highway at a traffic signal. So no turn happens inside an active traffic lane. This adds safety and cuts the delay that left-turning vehicles usually cause for through traffic.

How to turn left or make a U-turn at a jughandle

1
Move to the right lane
Jughandle ramps exit from the right lane of the highway, so you turn right to go left. Signal before you change lanes, and signal at least 100 feet before you turn onto the ramp.
2
Take the ramp
The ramp can start before the intersection or past it. Leave the highway on the ramp, and check for bicyclists and pedestrians before the turn.
3
Cross the highway at the signal
The ramp takes traffic across the main highway under traffic signal control. Obey the signal and cross only when it lets you go.

Jughandle left turn vs a normal left turn

On a normal two-way road you turn left yourself. Get as close as possible to the line nearest the center of the road, and do not cross lane markings as you turn. Yield to all oncoming traffic, including bicyclists, skateboarders and inline skaters, and stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
At a jughandle you start from the right lane instead, and the traffic signal at the ramp controls your crossing. You never wait in a through lane for a gap in oncoming traffic.

Key Takeaways

A New Jersey traffic circle has no set rules: the flow pattern, the entrance signs and common sense decide who goes first.
In doubt, use extreme caution: the vehicle to the left yields to the vehicle approaching from the right.
A roundabout is a one-way circular intersection around a center island. You enter and leave it with right turns.
At a jughandle you exit from the right lane, take the ramp and cross the highway at the traffic signal, to turn left or make a U-turn.
Your next step: practice on the free New Jersey basic auto learner permit practice test.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a U-turn at a jughandle?

Yes. NJDOT defines a jughandle as a ramp for indirect left turns and U-turns. You leave the highway from the right lane, follow the ramp and cross the main highway at the traffic signal. Streets that take you around the block are not jughandles, even though they also let you turn back.

Do you have to signal when you leave a traffic circle?

Yes, signal for each turn. The manual says to signal when you turn, change lanes, stop or slow down, and it says state law requires a signal at least 100 feet before any turn. Cancel the signal after the turn.

Do you stop for pedestrians at a traffic circle or roundabout?

Yes. For a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk, or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, you must come to a complete stop, not only slow down. Stay stopped until the person has cleared your lane and the next lane in your direction.

Is a cloverleaf the same as a traffic circle?

No. A cloverleaf is the set of curved ramps where you enter or leave a divided expressway, which usually has no traffic lights or direct intersections. There, watch for the entrance and exit signs, drive slowly through the curve and obey the posted speed limit.