Driving Safely Through A Roundabout
According to the IIHS, roundabouts improve traffic flow and are a safer alternative to traffic signals and stop signs. Also, according to the IIHS, roundabouts are generally safer for pedestrians. However, the reality is that drivers are at times intimated by roundabouts and are unsure how to drive safely through them. If you are unsure how to navigate through a roundabout safely, this guide might help you.
What Is a Roundabout?
Before discussing how you can drive safely through a roundabout, it is important that we first explain what a roundabout is. A roundabout is a circular intersection that was developed in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and is now used in many countries, including the U.S. In this circular intersection, motorists move counterclockwise around a center point. In most modern roundabouts, you won’t find any stop signs or traffic signals. Instead, entering traffic yields the right-of-way to circulating traffic.
How To Drive Safely Through a Roundabout
It is vital for you to understand how to drive safely through a roundabout to avoid traffic accidents. One crucial thing you should do when approaching a roundabout is slow down. You are typically not required to stop, but you should slow down. Slow speeds can help you move smoothly into, around, and out of a roundabout.
When going into a roundabout, look for the flow of traffic and yield. When entering a roundabout, ensure you yield to vehicles already in the roundabout. Once you enter a roundabout, choose your lane depending on where you want to exit and stay in it. You should try hard to avoid changing lanes when in a roundabout, as doing so could result in a crash. If you realize you are in the wrong lane, check your mirrors and only change lanes if it is safe to do so. And before changing lanes, make sure you signal. If it is unsafe to change lanes, continue around the roundabout in the same lane.
If possible, when driving a passenger vehicle inside the circle, avoid driving next to oversized vehicles. It can be hard for a truck to go all the way through a roundabout without slightly entering the next lane. Therefore, when driving through a roundabout in a passenger vehicle, give large vehicles the extra room they need.
As you are about to exit a roundabout, keep an eye on the car in front. Do not assume the driver will not stop. Many rear-end accidents occur this way.
Additionally, if you’re about to enter a roundabout and you see an ambulance or another emergency vehicle, it is best you pull over to the right before the roundabout and allow the emergency vehicle to go through. Suppose you’re already in the roundabout when you see an emergency vehicle. Pull into the closest exit to get out of the vehicle’s way in such a case.
Lastly, when diving inside the circle, you should avoid stopping, as sudden stops can result in accidents. Instead, follow the flow of traffic.
Contact Us for Legal Help
Unfortunately, you cannot control how other drivers behave when driving through roundabouts. However, the good news is that you can recover compensation if you’re injured in a Florida roundabout accident because of another driver’s fault. After suffering injuries in a roundabout accident because of another driver’s fault, our Miami personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm can help you recover the maximum compensation possible.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Ocala, Bradenton, Daytona Beach, and West Palm Beach areas.
Source:
iihs.org/topics/roundabouts#:~:text=Roundabouts%20are%20a%20safer%20alternative,are%20better%20for%20the%20environment
