Box Junction - Unmarked Equivalents

Unmarked Equivalents

In Australia, New Zealand and the European Union (excluding Ireland and the United Kingdom), road rules state that every intersection is a box: that is, you may not enter any intersection unless there is clear space on the other side, whether it is marked or not. In the EU this also applies to junctions with a minor road within the waiting area of a traffic light on the major road. This is generally respected, but the diagonal grid is still painted on some congested intersections to remind drivers of the rule and on level crossings where blocking the intersection could cause an accident. The same rule applies at every intersection in Russia.

In many U.S. states, laws intending to decrease gridlock at intersections, railroad crossings, and marked crosswalks have been enacted which prohibit motorists from entering any of the three until they are certain their vehicle can clear it. No special road markings are used to indicate this rule, but some governments post warning signs to increase awareness of the law at problematic intersections.