Driver education

Approaching the roundabout

On approaching a roundabout, decide as early as possible which exit you need to take and get into the correct lane (refer to the section below on “Turning at roundabouts”). Reduce your speed. Bicyclists are vehicles and need to share the lane at intersections. Therefore, allow bicycles to enter the roadway from any bicycle lane. The law gives pedestrians the right-of-way in a crosswalk. Yield to pedestrians waiting to cross or crossing on the approach. Watch out for and be particularly considerate of people with disabilities, children, and elderly pedestrians. Always keep to the right of the splitter island (either painted or raised) on the approach to the roundabout.

Entering the roundabout

Upon reaching the roundabout yield line, yield to traffic circulating from the left unless signs or pavement markings indicate otherwise. Do not enter the roundabout beside a vehicle already circulating within the roundabout, as a vehicle near the central island may be exiting at the next exit. Watch out for traffic already on the roundabout, especially cyclists and motorcyclists. Do not enter a roundabout when an emergency vehicle is approaching on another leg; allow queues to clear in front of the emergency vehicle.

Within the roundabout

Within a roundabout, do not stop except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic. Always keep to the right of the central island and travel in a counterclockwise direction.

Where the circulatory roadway is wide enough to allow two or more vehicles to travel side-by-side, do not overtake adjacent vehicles who are slightly ahead of yours as they may wish to exit next. Watch out for traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit. Do not change lanes within the roundabout except to exit.

When an emergency vehicle is approaching, in order to provide it a clear path to turn through the roundabout, proceed past the splitter island of your exit before pulling over.

Exiting the roundabout

Maintain a slow speed upon exiting the roundabout. Always indicate your exit using your right-turn signal. For multilane roundabouts, watch for vehicles to your right, including bicycles that may cross your path while exiting, and ascertain if they intend to yield for you to exit. Watch for and yield to pedestrians waiting to cross, or crossing the exit leg. Watch out for and be particularly considerate of people with disabilities, children, and elderly pedestrians. Do not accelerate until you are beyond the pedestrian crossing point on the exit.

Turning at roundabouts

Unless signs or pavement markings indicate otherwise:

• When turning right or exiting at the first exit around the roundabout, use the following procedure:
  
  • Turn on your right-turn signal on the approach.
  • If there are multiple approach lanes, use only the right-hand lane.
  • Keep to the outside of the circulatory roadway within the roundabout and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit.
  • When there are multiple exit lanes use the right-hand lane.

• When going straight ahead (i.e., exiting halfway around the roundabout), use the following procedure (see Exhibit 2-7):
  • Do not use any turn signals on approach.
  • If there are two approach lanes, you may use either the left– or right-hand approach lanes.
  • When on the circulatory roadway, turn on your right-turn signal once you have passed the exit before the one you want and continue to use your right turn signal through your exit.
  • Maintain your inside (left) or outside (right) track throughout the roundabout if the circulatory roadway is wide. This means that if you entered using the inner (left) lane, circulate using the inside track of the circulatory roadway and exit from here by crossing the outside track. Likewise, if you entered using the outer (right) lane, circulate using the outside track of the circulatory roadway and exit directly from here. Do not change lanes within the roundabout except when crossing the outer circulatory track in the act of exiting.
  • When exiting the circulatory roadway from the inside track, watch out on the outside track for leading or adjacent vehicles that continue to circulate around the roundabout.
  • When exiting the circulatory roadway from the outside track, yield to leading or adjacent vehicles that are exiting into the same lane.

• When turning left or making a U-turn (i.e., exiting more than halfway around the roundabout), use the following procedure (see Exhibit 2-8):
  
  • Turn on your left turn signal.
  • If there are multiple approach lanes, use only the left-hand lane.
  • Keep to the inner (left) side of the circulatory roadway (nearest the central island).
  • Continue to use your left-turn signal until you have passed the exit before the one you want, and then use your right-turn signal through your exit.
  • When exiting from a multilane roundabout from the inside part of the circulatory roadway, use only the inner lane on the exit (the lane nearest the splitter island). Watch out on the outside part of the circulatory roadway for leading or adjacent vehicles that continue to circulate around the roundabout.
• When in doubt about lane choice (especially for roundabouts with legs at angles other than 90½), use the following general rules to determine which lane you should be in (unless signs or pavement markings indicate otherwise):
  • If you intend to exit the roundabout less than halfway around it, use the right lane.
  • If you intend to exit the roundabout more than halfway around it, use the left lane.

Motorcyclists and bicyclists

Watch out for motorcyclists and bicyclists. Give them plenty of room and show due consideration. Bicyclists may enter the approach roadway from a bicycle lane. Bicyclists will often keep to the right on the roundabout; they may also indicate left to show they are continuing around the roundabout. It is best to treat bicyclists as other vehicles and not pass them while on the circulatory roadway. Motorcyclists should not ride across the mountable truck apron next to the central island, if present.

Large vehicles

When car drivers approach a roundabout, do not overtake large vehicles. Large vehicles (for example, trucks and buses) may have to swing wide on the approach or within the roundabout. Watch for their turn signals and give them plenty of room, especially since they may obscure other conflicting users.

To negotiate a roundabout, drivers of large vehicles may need to use the full width of the roadway, including mountable aprons if provided. They should be careful of all other users of the roundabouts and, prior to entering the roundabout, satisfy themselves that other users are aware of them and will yield to them.