Opposition proposes abolishing the "right hand rule"

The Hungarian Democratic Forum has initiated a campaign to abolish the notoriously ambiguous "right hand rule" (jobbkéz-szabály) on the grounds that Hungarian traffic culture is "not sufficiently developed" for it, writes Index.hu.

On Hungarian roads, if no stop sign is present at any four-way crossing or T-intersection, motorists must give way to the right, regardless of the nature of the respective roads. On the other hand, if a yellow diamond is displayed, the driver has right of way.

The system is designed to eliminated the need for road signs, but in practice, it is often a source of confusion, and accidents. According to police statistics, a large proportion of traffic accidents occur at intersections where the rule applies, with almost a quarter of accidents in Budapest caused by drivers failing to give way.

In MDF's opinion, the government can contribute to road safety by drawing up clear and unambiguous traffic rules. The sticking point is likely to be the expense of positioning road signs at every intersection in Hungary. The cost of a single sign is between Ft 13,000 and Ft 15,000 (€52 - €60), which the opposition party proposes should be shared between local governments and the transport budget.

MDF would like to prioritize more dangerous junctions and has asked local residents, the people it believes know local traffic conditions best, to send their recommendations to the jobbkezszabaly@mdf.hu e-mail address.

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