How do roundabouts work in Barbados?

Always give way (yield) to oncoming traffic to your right before joining a roundabout. For safety reasons, never switch lanes on a roundabout.

We have many roundabouts in Barbados and you should familiarise yourself with how you need to approach and use them. A few illustrations are provided below. Please carefully note the lane you should merge into when you take an exit, as this is often a source of confusion for visitors to Barbados.

Most drivers in Barbados do not use their indicators (blinkers) at roundabouts, regardless of the exit they intend to take. If a vehicle to your right is indicating left at a roundabout when you are giving way, do not assume they are turning left. Always exercise caution when joining roundabouts.

Roundabouts with directional arrows

If a roundabout has directional arrows or signposts, use the appropriate lane as directed. A common example is shown in the illustration below:

A vector image of a roundabout with directional arrows painted on the road. The roundabout has three exits. The first exit is to turn left. The second exit is to go straight on. The third exit is to turn right. There is a yellow car in the left lane that must turn left or go straight on, and a red car in the right lane that must go straight on or turn right. The yellow vehicle must remain in the left lane at all times when entering and exiting the roundabout. The red vehicle must remain in the right lane at all times when entering and exiting the roundabout.

Roundabouts without directional arrows

If a roundabout does not have directional arrows or signposts, you should use the left lane to turn left only, as shown in the illustration below:

A vector image of a roundabout without directional arrows painted on the road. The roundabout has three exits. The first exit is to turn left. The second exit is to go straight on. The third exit is to turn right. There is a yellow car in the left lane that must turn left only, and a red car in the right lane that must go straight on or turn right. The yellow vehicle must remain in the left lane at all times when entering and exiting the roundabout. The red vehicle must remain in the right lane at all times when entering and exiting the roundabout.

Vector designed by macrovector / freepik.

Frequently asked questions

Persons who need to exchange Barbados Dollars for foreign currency must submit an application via FOREX Online, as the island's currency is subject to exchange controls. This also applies to visitors in Barbados that need to exchange their unused Barbadian currency into foreign currency before they return home.

On the application form, select the local bank branch from which you plan to obtain your foreign currency. Upon submission, the application will likely be sent directly to your selected commercial bank for approval, under delegated authority by the Central Bank of Barbados.

If your application is being reviewed by your commercial bank directly, you should visit your selected bank branch after you submit your application and speak to a teller to get your application approved.

The following hard currencies are typically available at local bank branches in Barbados: US dollars (USD), pound sterling (GBP), euros (EUR), and Eastern Caribbean Dollars (XCD).

Please note a statutory 2% Foreign Exchange Fee applies when exchanging Barbados Dollars for foreign currency. You may also be charged a fee by the commercial bank to complete the transaction.