Walk a fixed four-step ladder and stop at the first line that applies: a police officer beats a working traffic light, a light beats a priority sign (Zeichen 306, 205, 206), and only with none of those does rechts vor links decide it — whoever comes from the right goes first. Eleven further rules override all four. StVO, checked 2026-08-03.
Every “who goes first” question is solved by walking down this list and stopping at the first line that applies. Never mix two levels — a sign does not argue with a traffic light, it simply loses.
§36, §37, §8 StVO
The signs that settle it
You are reading which part of their body faces you. See their side or shoulder and you may go. See their chest or their back, with arms stretched sideways, and you stop. One arm raised straight up means “attention”, like amber: stop, unless you are already too close to stop safely.
§36 Abs. 2 StVO
These apply whatever the signs say, and most of the hardest questions live here.
| Situation | Who goes | Why, in plain words | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| You turn left; someone comes towards you | Them | A priority road protects you against traffic joining from side roads. It does nothing against oncoming traffic. Turning left you always wait — there is no exception anywhere in the rules. | §9 Abs. 3 StVO |
| You turn right; a cyclist beside you goes straight | The cyclist | Anything going straight beats a turn across its path, and §9 Abs. 3 names cyclists explicitly, including ones riding beside you in your own direction. This is the most common serious accident in German cities. | §9 Abs. 3 StVO |
| You come out of a driveway, car park, petrol station or traffic-calmed area | Everyone | Rechts vor links does not apply to you here at all. You are joining the carriageway, so you wait for everybody — including people walking on the pavement you drive across — and you must be guided in if you cannot see. | §10 StVO |
| You reverse, turn round, or pull out from the kerb | Everyone | The entire responsibility is yours. If you cannot see, somebody must stand outside and guide you. | §9 Abs. 5, §10 StVO |
| A tram meets you at an unsigned crossroads | Whoever is on the right | Rechts vor links applies to the tram as well. §8 Abs. 1 StVO has exactly two exceptions — priority signs, and vehicles coming off a Feld- oder Waldweg — and rail vehicles are not one of them. A tram approaching from your left waits for you. | §8 Abs. 1 StVO |
| You are turning and a tram is coming, including alongside you | The tram | This is where rail vehicles do win. When you turn, you must let rail vehicles through even when they are running on or beside the carriageway in your own direction — and you may never force a tram to brake by standing on its rails. | §9 Abs. 3, §2 Abs. 3 StVO |
| A bus indicates to leave a marked stop | The bus | You must let it pull out, and slow down or stop if you must. There is no 'only inside towns' limitation on this rule — it applies wherever the stop is. | §20 Abs. 5 StVO |
| A bus stands at a stop with hazard lights on | The passengers | You may pass only at walking pace and without endangering anyone. On an undivided road that binds oncoming traffic too. | §20 Abs. 2 & 4 StVO |
| Emergency vehicle with blue light AND siren | Them | Everyone clears the way at once and forms a Rettungsgasse in slow traffic. Blue light with no siren means the vehicle is only travelling and puts no duty on you. | §38 Abs. 1 StVO |
| Something is parked in your lane and you must go round it | Oncoming traffic | Whoever's side is blocked waits — unless Zeichen 208 or 308 is present and hands the priority to one direction. | §6 StVO |
| Your lane ends and two become one | Take turns | Zip merge: drive to the very end of your lane, then let one in, go, let one in. Merging early wastes half the road and is not the polite option. | §7 Abs. 4 StVO |
| A level crossing, whatever the signs say | The train | Never drive on unless you can get completely off the other side. A train needs several hundred metres to stop and cannot steer. | §19 StVO |
When you can walk that ladder without hesitating, the junction trainer is where it stops being theory: 31 real junctions, in the order the cars actually go.
Original practice questions — not the amtlicher Fragenkatalog. Every question, sign description and scenario here is written by us and covers the same StVO rules as the official Klasse B test. We are not TÜV, DEKRA or a Fahrschule, and we do not reproduce the official catalogue. Road signs themselves are amtliche Werke (StVO Anlage 1–3). Rules checked against StVO and FeV on 2026-08-03.
Last updated: 2026-08-03