The contemporary roundabout is a circular crossroads with traffic-flow-enhancing design characteristics. It was created in the 1960s in the UK and is now extensively utilized in a considerable number of nations. Vehicles go counterclockwise around an elevated center island on roundabouts in the United States, with incoming traffic ceding the right-of-way to circular traffic (IIHS, 2021). Right-angle, left-turn, and head-on accidents are among the most prevalent types of crashes at typical crossings with stoplights or traffic signals. Given that cars may be moving at high speed through the junction, these crashes can be serious. Because cars drive in the same way and at moderate speeds, these sorts of potentially catastrophic collisions are almost prevented in roundabouts.
Despite the fact that roundabouts have been shown to improve safety, accidents sometimes happen. It was discovered that four collision types account for roughly all of the crashes: run-off-road, rear-end, sideswipe, and entering-circulating (IIHS, 2021). A car crashing with the central island was another prevalent form of collision. Nearly 50% of all single-vehicle run-off-road collisions were caused by these crashes, which typically occurred at dangerous speeds (IIHS, 2021). Some motorists may not have noticed the roundabout in time to lower their speed.
There are investigations that have found that converting standard junctions to roundabouts improves traffic flow significantly. Roundabouts increase traffic flow effectiveness while simultaneously lowering car pollutants and fuel usage. However, when roundabouts are suggested, drivers could be skeptical or even hostile. Nevertheless, research reveals that once they get familiar with the mentioned technical solution, their attitudes soon alter (IIHS, 2021). Moreover, elderly drivers are even more suspicious of roundabouts; still, they can gain from them more within the scope of better safety.
Reference
IIHS. (2021). Roundabouts.