Circular reasoning

Wisconsin DOT offers tips to help senior drivers with roundabouts
By: 
Carol Ryczek
Editor-in-chief

They are one of the few places where you can be coming and going at the same time.

Roundabouts, a relatively new passageway on Wisconsin highways, pose challenges for some senior citizens, says the American Automobile Association.

A roundabout is a small traffic circle that allows vehicles to make turns without stop signs or lights. Roundabouts move traffic by allowing the car or truck in the circle to have the right of way.

Roundabouts are found at less than one percent of the intersections on the state highway system, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. As of 2016, 3% of state-controlled intersections have traffic signals. Of the state’s 383 roundabouts, 220 are on the state highway system and 163 are on local highways.

Roundabouts may be considered as an alternative when building new intersections or when doing a complete reconstruction to correct safety or reduce congestion, the DOT says. They credit roundabouts with reducing the number of severe injury crashes and deaths; providing good economic value; reducing delay and improving traffic flow and providing a greener alternative with less vehicle idling, lower fuel emissions and less wasted fuel.

Even with these advantages, roundabouts can be the intersections most avoided by some drivers. However, the DOT offers some driving tips to make it possible go through roundabouts without going around the bend:

• Slow down.

• Watch for and obey traffic signs.

• Move into the correct lane the direction you want to travel as you approach the roundabout.

• Yield to pedestrians and bicyclists as you enter and exit the roundabout.

• Yield to all lanes of traffic on your left before entering.

• Keep your speed low and stay in your lane within the roundabout (do not change lanes within the roundabout).

• Exit carefully to your destination. Use your right-turn signal, in front of the splitter island just prior to your exit, to indicate your intention to exit.

•Watch for large vehicle.

•If there is no oncoming traffic, you do not have to stop.

Navigating with Large Vehicles at Roundabouts

By Wisconsin law, drivers must yield right-of-way to trucks and other large vehicles (and combinations of vehicles, such as trucks towing boats or RVs towing cars) measuring at least 40 feet long or 10 feet wide.

That means, give space to larger vehicles when approaching and driving through roundabouts.

The law was passed in the interest of safety, as commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and most larger vehicles have an expanded turning radius.

Drivers are asked to remain mindful that all motorists approaching a roundabout must yield to any traffic already within a roundabout, as signed and per law.

If two large vehicles approach a roundabout at the same time, the vehicle on the right must yield right-of-way to the vehicle on the left.

Driving bicycles in a roundabout

• If you are riding on the shoulder or bike lane, merge into the traffic lane before the shoulder ends.

• Signal your intent to move into traffic.

• Once inside the roundabout, don’t hug the curb.

• Ride close to the middle of the lane to prevent cars from passing and cutting you off.

• Watch for cars waiting to enter the roundabout, as they may not see you.

•If you do not want to ride your bike in the roundabout, use the sidewalk and proceed as a pedestrian.