The driver of the red car:

Explanation

Must give way.

The light facing the red car shows the main red lamp lit, and beside it the additional section glows with a green arrow pointing upwards (straight ahead). That is, the red car is permitted to go straight, but that permission is conditional: at the same time the green car is crossing the junction from the left and priority is his.

Many candidates suppose that an additional section always has a left or right arrow. This very picture shows the contrary; the arrow can point upwards too. But the direction of the arrow does not change the nature of the rule: as long as the main lamp is red, you are not in your own green phase. You are opening your path through a flow that has a real green, so the whole safety responsibility is yours.

The reason is the physics of the junction: a car crossing on a full green neither reduces its speed nor expects a collision. If you enter straight ahead on a green arrow, you strike its path in the middle of the junction, where neither of you has time to react. A short rule to memorise: main red lamp + green arrow = you may go, but you are the last to go. Before moving you must stop completely, check the junction, and go forward only when the way is clear.

• The additional section's green arrow is tempting because its colour is green, but because the main lamp is red this arrow gives only permission to enter and creates no priority whatever.

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