Starting to Drive and Maneuvering
This page presents the official Lithuanian Road Traffic Rules (KET) on the topic of "starting to drive and maneuvering", valid throughout the Republic of Lithuania under the 2026 rules. Understanding these provisions is essential for passing the theory exam at Regitra and for participating safely in traffic. Each provision below links to the official consolidated KET.
🎥 Video explanation
A short video explaining this topic. The video is in Lithuanian. Open the video page.
📚 Detailed rules
Traffic in the Republic of Lithuania moves on the right side of the road.
Opposing traffic directions on the carriageway, in the absence of road signs or markings establishing otherwise, are separated by the imaginary longitudinal axis of the carriageway.
Before starting to drive, before changing lanes, and otherwise changing direction of travel, the driver must make sure that doing so is safe and give way to (not obstruct) other road users.
When entering a road from territories located next to it, the driver must give way to vehicles (bicycles and others) traveling on it.
When exiting a road, the driver must give way to vehicles (bicycles and others) traveling on it.
Where an acceleration lane intended for entering the road is present, the driver must drive in it and merge into the traffic flow (change lanes to the adjacent lane), giving way to vehicles traveling on it or changing lanes to the deceleration lane.
If on a road with two (or more) lanes in the same direction, traffic is not possible in one of them and a queue of vehicles has formed, every driver traveling in the adjacent lane must let one vehicle (the first in the queue) change lanes to the lane they occupy. The driver changing lanes must make sure that way is being given.
Before turning right, left, or turning around (except for turning at an intersection with circular traffic), the driver must in advance move close to the corresponding edge of the carriageway intended for travel in that direction. Road signs and (or) horizontal road markings may modify this requirement.
If, due to its dimensions or other reasons, a vehicle cannot turn (or turn around) from the outermost position, turning is also permitted not from the corresponding edge of the carriageway intended for travel in that direction, provided that this will not obstruct other vehicles and will not endanger other road users.
Turning must be done in such a way that, when entering the intersection of carriageways and exiting it, the vehicle does not end up in the lane of oncoming traffic. If a turn or U-turn is possible from one lane, when turning, the driver may choose any lane on the carriageway into which they are turning. If turning is permitted from several lanes, the driver must turn in such a way as not to obstruct another driver turning from the adjacent lane.
When turning left (or turning around) outside an intersection, the driver must give way to vehicles traveling in the opposite direction straight ahead or to the right, and where overtaking is permitted, also to overtaking vehicles.
If traffic is very heavy and all lanes are occupied, changing lanes is permitted only when necessary to turn, turn around, or stop.
Where a deceleration lane is present, a driver intending to turn must change lanes to this lane as early as possible and reduce speed (brake) in it.
Where an acceleration lane intended for entering the road is present, the driver must drive in it and merge into the traffic flow (change lanes to the adjacent lane), giving way to vehicles traveling on it or changing lanes to the deceleration lane.
A driver traveling significantly slower than the maximum permitted speed (except when turning left or turning around) must let pass vehicles traveling faster behind them by moving as far to the right as possible. If necessary, the driver of a slow-moving or oversize vehicle must stop and let pass the vehicles that have accumulated behind it.
When reversing, the driver must give way to other road users.
When the trajectories of vehicles intersect and the order of priority is not addressed in the Rules, the driver to whom another vehicle is approaching from the right must give way.
Turning around is prohibited:116.1. at pedestrian crossings;116.2. at railway crossings;116.3. in tunnels;116.4. on bridges, overpasses, viaducts and under them;116.5. in places where road visibility in at least one direction is less than 100 meters;116.6. on roads with a central reservation, except in turnaround places specifically built for this purpose and marked with road signs, or with road signs together with horizontal road markings.