Roundabouts in Uzbekistan: the rules and the common mistakes

In short: at a roundabout, traffic already circulating has priority (point 98 of Uzbekistan's traffic rules) unless traffic lights set a different order. When entering, look left and wait for a gap. Choose your lane by your exit, and move into the right-hand lane early, with an indicator, before you leave.

Note: Uzbekistan drives on the right, so traffic circulates anticlockwise and arrives from your left.

What the rules say

Roundabout rules in Uzbekistan's traffic code (approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 172 of 12 April 2022, as in force in October 2026) come from several points:

Point or sign	Requirement
Point 98, para. 3	Vehicles moving on a roundabout have priority over vehicles entering it
Point 98, paras. 1–2	Where traffic lights or a traffic officer control the junction, their signals set the order
Point 56	Take up the appropriate outermost position before turning, except when turning to enter a roundabout
Point 55	When changing lanes, give way to vehicles in the adjacent lane; if two change lanes at once, the one on the left gives way to the one on the right
Points 45–46	Indicate in good time before a manoeuvre and cancel straight after
Point 96	When turning, give way to pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into
Sign 4.3 "Roundabout"	Travel only in the direction of the arrows
Sign 1.7	Warns of a roundabout ahead
Sign 2.4 "Give way"	Often placed at entries, confirming that entering traffic yields

The practical rule: entering traffic gives way to traffic on the ring, except at signal-controlled roundabouts, where the lights decide. Tashkent has both kinds, so check for traffic lights as you approach, not just signs.

Choosing a lane

Point 56 does not require the outermost right position when entering a roundabout, but your exit dictates your lane. The scheme instructors usually teach for a two- or three-lane roundabout:

Destination	Lane on entry	Lane on the ring	Indicator
First exit (right)	Right	Outer lane	Right on entry, right before exit
Straight on (second exit)	Right or middle	Outer or middle, then right for the exit	Right before exit
Left (third exit)	Left or middle	Inner, then move right	Left moving inward, right before moving out and exiting
U-turn	Left	Inner, then move right	As for a left turn

If road markings or lane direction signs 5.8.1 and 5.8.2 at the entry show otherwise, follow them.

Driving a roundabout step by step

1. Approach. 100–150 metres out, spot sign 4.3 and count which exit you need. Take your lane before the entry, not at it. Slow down; in most cases you enter in second gear.
2. Before entering. Look left, because circulating traffic comes from there. Judge the gap: the car on the ring must be far enough away that it will not need to brake for you. No gap means stopping at the line or the give way sign. Pedestrians on the crossing before the entry are your responsibility too.
3. Entering. Indicate right if you are taking the first exit. Go in smoothly; the driver behind you is waiting for a gap as well. In a manual, stay in second.
4. On the ring. Keep your lane and the traffic speed. Do not stop to let entering cars in: you have priority, and a sudden stop invites a rear-end collision. Watch buses and lorries, which may swing into the next lane.
5. Preparing to exit. After passing the exit before yours, indicate right. Check the right mirror and look over your right shoulder for the blind spot. Move into the right lane early, giving way to traffic already in it (point 55).
6. Exiting. Leave from the outermost right lane. Exits often have a pedestrian crossing, and point 96 requires you to give way to pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into. Cancel the indicator.

Ten common mistakes learners make

1. Entering on hope. The learner sees a car on the ring but tries to squeeze in. This directly breaks point 98 and is the most common cause of entry collisions.
2. Stopping on the ring to let others in. Politeness that creates danger. You have priority, so use it smoothly.
3. Exiting from the inside lane across traffic. The driver on your right does not expect it. Exit only from the right lane.
4. No indicator before the exit. Drivers waiting to enter cannot tell you are leaving, and it breaks point 45.
5. Panic after missing the exit. Hard braking, reversing, cutting across lanes. Go round again.
6. Assuming "the ring has priority" at a signal-controlled roundabout. If the lights are working, follow them.
7. Not looking left on entry. Eyes fixed on the exit you want while a car on the left is already alongside.
8. Missing pedestrians at the exit. Your attention is still on the ring while people are on the crossing.
9. Sitting in a bus's or lorry's blind spot. A long vehicle drifts into the next lane and cannot see you. Drop back or pass.
10. Going too slowly. Fear leads to 10 km/h where traffic flows at 30–40, which provokes risky lane changes around you.

Practising with an instructor

• Small single-lane roundabouts first, in residential areas outside rush hour.
• Then multi-lane ones in daylight: first exit, then straight on, then left.
• U-turns via a roundabout once all the above work without prompting.
• Rush hour last, with an instructor and dual pedals.

For first city routes, see driving in Tashkent for beginners; for roundabout questions in the theory test, see the hardest topics in the rules test.

If roundabouts still worry you, a few lessons with an instructor in Tashkent fix it faster than trial and error. Looking for a school whose city routes include roundabouts? Browse category B driving schools in Tashkent or leave a request on our school matching form.