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Roudabout Videos:
How to Drive A Roundabout (.mov)
How to Drive A Roundabout (.wmf)
Roundabout Safety for Kids (.mov)
Roundabout Safety for Kids (.wmf)
Roundabout Information:
The City of Sacramento's Department of Transportation is making traveling by car,
bicycle, and/or by foot safer and quicker by installing roundabouts.
A roundabout is a circular intersection at which all traffic
moves counterclockwise -- always to the right of a central island. All entering
traffic must yield only to traffic from the left, already in the roundabout, and
to all pedestrians when entering and leaving the roundabout.
Roundabouts have many advantages including:
Safety - Studies indicate that collisions occur less frequently
than at signalized intersections. Roundabouts reduce potential conflict points
between vehicles and pedestrians. Slower speeds are required to navigate the
roundabout.
Reduced Delay - Typically, drivers do not need to actually stop
at a roundabout. They merely adjust their speed to take advantage of approaching
gaps in traffic, which is more efficient than a multi-phased traffic signal.
Environment - Roundabouts generally operate with fewer delays,
resulting in less air pollution and lower fuel consumption.
Costs - Construction costs are generally less than or equal to
those associated with a signalized intersection. Typically maintenance costs are
less with a roundabout.
Capacity - A roundabout can accommodate more vehicles than some
signalized intersections.
Improved Neighborhood Appearance - The roundabout's central island
and splitter islands are landscaped to add greenery to the streetscape. Roundabouts
can also add some variation to streets.
Tips on Driving A Roundabout
- Yield to traffic from the left, and travel right
- Signal right when exiting the roundabout
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks when entering and exiting
and STOP for pedestrians who are in the crosswalk - it is the law!
- Keep moving once in the roundabout
Remember: A missed exit can be reached by going around again!
Safety Benefits
Pedestrians crossing a road where it meets a roundabout need only
cross one direction of traffic at a time before coming to an island. Pedestrians
can pause, look the other direction and proceed. These islands are located on each
leg of the roundabout, making it particularly pedestrian friendly.
Typically, roundabout speed limit is 20 miles per hour, therefore,
accidents that do occur are low speed, low impact collisions. This benefits the
bicyclists as well as the vehicle.
Can large vehicles use a roundabout?
Yes. Roundabouts are designed to handle large trucks, buses, and trailers. They
follow the same rules for using the roundabout as smaller vehicles.
For more information about roundabouts, please visit the following web sites:
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