Driving in the Roundabout

There was ample opportunity to observe people using the traffic roundabout on Lovett Road while attending the Magnolia Square Jazz Picnic 2 weekends ago. After seeing drivers stop while in the circle and others failing to yield properly, the following information will probably be beneficial to review again. This was taken from the City website – centralgov.com. A Roundabout is a circular intersection where entering traffic goes through a curve designed to slow traffic to 15 – 20 miles per hour. Drivers yield to traffic already circulating in the roundabout. Speeds are kept low because drivers have to go around curves. When approaching roundabouts, reduce your speed and look for vehicles already in the circle. Yield to these vehicles. Vehicles already in the circle do not yield to merging traffic. After entering the roundabout, proceed to your desired exit. In traditional intersections, the most common collisions are right angle and left turn related. These can be severe because vehicles often travel fast to make it through the intersection. Roundabouts virtually eliminate these sorts of "T-bones" because all cars are travelling in the same direction at slower speeds. Roundabouts are proven to reduce all crashes 40%, and injury-causing crashes 80%. There is quicker traffic flow, therefore a reduction in emissions and fuel consumption. Anyone who has traveled in, for example, Washington, D.C. or in Great Britain, knows how efficient and safe roundabouts are.