Transportation agencies within the government work continuously o develop solutions to roadway issues. Part of their job is to make roads safer and implement ideas that can help to reduce traffic collisions.
Intersections are one of the most dangerous areas on any roadway. To help combat the risk, experts in some areas have decided to implement the use of roundabouts.
What is a roundabout?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, a roundabout is a circular feature that turns an intersection into a continuous flow of traffic. It gets rid of the stop signs or traffic lights and allows you to drive seamlessly through an intersection.
They can be any size with any number of lanes. Experts match the design to the traffic needs in the area, so you may see them in neighborhoods and on major roadways.
They do have a higher initial cost to install, but the operating costs are much lower than other forms of traffic control at intersections.
How do they help?
You may wonder how a roundabout can make roads safer when they often cause confusion. There is a learning curve, but once the structure works properly, it allows for traffic to move with ease. Learning to use one is not as difficult as it may seem. You will find they include plenty of signs and road markings that enable you to know exactly how to maneuver through them.
They naturally help to reduce speeds as well, which is a common issue in traditional intersections. They also get rid of left turns, which are naturally the most dangerous. Because nobody is heading straight into the roundabout, it can help reduce head-on collisions.