TxDOT wants to build more roundabouts to save lives

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — If you’ve ever been to Europe, you’ve probably passed through a few roundabouts while driving or riding in a car.

You may be less likely to have driven through a roundabout in Texas, but that could only be temporary.

The Texas Department of Transportation says there are about 500 roundabouts across the state, with more planned. Unlike electronic traffic signals, traffic in roundabouts circulates using only yield signs.

Data from the Texas Department of Transportation shows that roundabouts reduce crashes that result in serious injuries or deaths, primarily because the dreaded T-bone collisions are eliminated. According to figures from the National Academy of Sciences, roundabouts reduce traffic fatalities by more than 90%, injuries by 76%, and the overall crash rate by 35%.

“Improving our roundabout culture and expertise will help advance and complete more projects,” said Brandye Hendrickson, deputy executive director of TxDOT.

From 2017 to 2019, Hendrickson served as deputy commissioner of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), during which time she helped establish National Roundabouts

“There was a lot of enthusiasm across the country for roundabouts and other alternative intersection designs and we thought we should start a campaign to raise awareness of these great safety benefits,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson says roundabouts are “a way of life” in her native Indiana, where she has seen firsthand what roundabouts can offer drivers.

Still, many drivers who are used to traffic signals may be nervous when entering roundabouts, so here are some tips for the next time you enter a roundabout:

• Slow.
• If there is more than one lane, use the left lane to turn left, the right lane to turn right, and all lanes to pass through unless signs or road markings indicate otherwise.
• Give way to pedestrians and cyclists.
• When entering, give way to oncoming traffic.
• Stay in your lane in the roundabout and indicate your intention to exit with your right turn signal.
• Always assume that trucks need all the available space – don’t overtake them!

Many drivers may think that roundabouts can be more dangerous, but studies show that they offer great safety benefits. Here are a few more myths about roundabouts:

• Roundabouts cannot handle a lot of traffic – Roundabouts can actually handle up to 20,000 cars per day if it is a single lane roundabout and up to 50,000 cars per day if it is a multi-lane roundabout. At higher traffic volumes, roundabouts often prove to be almost as efficient as traffic lights.
• Roundabouts are not equipped for large trucks – almost all modern roundabouts are designed to accommodate articulated lorries, buses, fire engines, etc.
• Roundabouts belong only in inner-city areas – Roundabouts at rural junctions offer the same safety benefits as urban junctions and often offer even more benefits due to the higher speeds in rural areas. Roundabouts can be designed to accommodate rural vehicles such as farm equipment, large trucks, horse trailers etc. They are often appreciated by communities once they are installed because people notice the traffic calming effect – particularly not having to wait at red lights in the middle of nowhere.