Roundabouts: Here's how to use them correctly

It seems simple enough.

As you approach a roundabout, you slow down, look left and get in when you have room. And yet, these concrete contraptions seem to cause heartburn for many drivers across the country and here in Fort Collins.

Experts say they can dramatically cut down on fatality rates. In the U.S., more than 20 people die every day at signalized intersections. Meanwhile, drivers in roundabouts have far fewer opportunities to crash into each other, and when they do, the drivers are less likely to end up in the back of an ambulance.

There are more than 2,000 roundabouts across the country, and they have been endorsed by groups including the AARP. Nationally, they have been found to reduce the number of crashes where people are seriously hurt or killed by up to 82 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

In Fort Collins, 25 percent of crashes at "normal" intersections leave at least one person injured. But at local roundabouts, that number is about 10 percent. 

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Roundabouts have only eight possible "vehicle conflict points," which is engineer-speak for places cars could crash into one another. A normal intersection has more than 30, and that includes dangerous head-on collisions and T-bone crashes. Plus, as Fort Collins traffic engineer Martina Wilkinson pointed out, cars in roundabouts are usually moving slower than folks blazing down Harmony Road at 50 mph.

"They naturally make people slow down," she said. "We can put up whatever speed limit we want, but as (the road) narrows down, that visual restriction is what makes people slow down."

Fort Collins now has 18 roundabouts throughout the city, including six that connect two high-capacity roads. And traffic engineers have found that in addition to making crashes less likely, these roundabouts also help reduce the severity of crashes.

So if roundabouts are so great at preventing crashes — or at least making them less severe — why do so many people bristle at the idea of having them? 

"It's not unusual for communities, when they first propose roundabouts, for there to be a lot of public opposition and concern," Wilkinson said. "I think part of it is people say they don't like them because they have to be actively involved when they enter a roundabout. They're not just waiting for a green light." 

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Statistically speaking, cyclists and pedestrians also are safer when moving through roundabouts than they are at traditional intersections.

Cyclists are supposed to use roundabouts just like cars. They should yield to oncoming traffic, then take the lane. This might seem scary, but it actually helps drivers and cyclists steer clear of each other, Bike Fort Collins Executive Director Chris Johnson said. 

"Crashes at intersections come because of right-of-way conflicts and speed," he said. And those factors are less of an issue at roundabouts. 

So now that you know some of the engineering science behind roundabouts, find out if you actually know how use one.

Cars

• Slow to about 15 to 20 mph as you approach the roundabout.
• Look for pedestrians in the crosswalk and yield to them.
• Look left for oncoming traffic. Cars already in the roundabout have right of way.
• If you don't see any traffic, keep moving. You do not have to stop.
• Do not pass cyclists in the roundabout; they are entitled to the full lane and probably won't be going much slower than you anyway (you were supposed to slow down, remember?)
• Use your right turn signal when you get to your exit.  Yield to any pedestrians in the crosswalk and then keep on moving. 

Cyclists

• Use the bike lane as you approach the roundabout.
• When it ends, merge with traffic.
• You are following the same rules as a car, so be confident and take the middle of the lane. This will help prevent cars from passing you, which is dangerous. 
• If you are not comfortable biking in the roundabout, you can use the bike ramp to get up to the sidewalk. If you do that, follow the same rules as pedestrians and use designated crosswalks.