Side Road on Outside of Bend - Left

You'll find this sign on curved sections of N-roads (national secondary routes) and R-roads (regional roads) throughout Ireland, particularly in counties like Wicklow, Wexford, Tipperary, and Limerick where undulating terrain creates natural bends.

Unlike its 'inside of bend' counterpart, this configuration places the junction on the outside curve where visibility is generally better, though still compromised.

Common locations include approaches to crossroads villages, farm access points, housing estates on rural outskirts, and connection roads to tourist attractions.

The sign typically appears 70-90 metres before the bend, often in areas where speed limits transition from 80km/h to 60km/h.

You'll also encounter it frequently on secondary routes connecting market towns where historical road patterns intersect at angles dictated by land boundaries.

This triangular warning indicates a side road junction positioned on the outside apex of a left-hand bend, creating a less severe but still significant hazard compared to inside-bend junctions.

While you have marginally better sight lines because your natural viewing angle favors the outside of the bend, several risks remain: vehicles turning left from the main road must cross your path while you're mid-corner; traffic emerging from the side road must judge the speed and position of cornering vehicles; and drivers exiting the bend may accelerate just as the junction appears.

The sign's diagram clearly shows both the bend geometry and junction location.

Appropriate response includes moderate speed reduction before the bend, correct lane positioning, enhanced observation of the junction area throughout the curve, and anticipation that vehicles may be waiting to emerge or others may be turning left across your path.

Although this is an advisory warning without direct penalties for non-compliance, failing to adjust your driving appropriately can lead to serious legal consequences.

If you're involved in a collision at such a junction—whether with an emerging vehicle or one turning left from your direction—and it's determined you were travelling at excessive speed or without proper observation, you'll face careless driving charges at minimum (€80 fixed charge, 2 penalty points) or dangerous driving charges if aggravating factors exist (5 penalty points, fines up to €5,000).

The Road Safety Authority's collision investigation unit specifically examines whether drivers modified their speed and positioning for signed hazards.

Insurance companies will scrutinize your response to this warning when assessing liability—demonstrable failure to reduce speed or observe properly can result in shared fault determinations, reducing your compensation entitlement.

In civil claims, plaintiffs frequently cite visible warning signage as evidence that defendants should have anticipated the hazard.

Theory test questions featuring this sign often appear in hazard perception sections or within complex scenario-based questions requiring you to prioritize multiple risks.

A typical question might show an image of a driver negotiating a left-hand bend with this sign displayed, asking what the main danger is or what action you should take.

The test designers want to verify you understand that 'outside of bend' doesn't mean 'no risk'—visibility is better but still impaired, and junction movements remain unpredictable.

During the practical driving test, if your route includes this signed configuration, examiners assess your speed management (reducing appropriately before the bend), positioning (staying in lane without hugging the center line), and observation (clear head movements toward the junction area, mirror checks for following traffic when reducing speed).

Candidates often lose marks by treating outside-bend junctions too casually, maintaining speed better suited to clear stretches rather than signed hazard zones.