It seems like everywhere you go in Ohio these days, there’s another roundabout.
Even though drivers overwhelmingly dislike the whole idea of roundabouts (although the majority come to revise their opinions once they actually get used to them), new roundabouts are likely to keep being added. Here’s why:
They’re safer and more efficient than traditional intersections
Efficiency and safety are the main two reasons that roundabouts have become so widely adopted both in Ohio and around the nation.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, roundabouts only have eight points where there is likely to be an accident, compared to 32 danger spots at a traditional intersection. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) says that using a roundabout instead of a traditional traffic signal can reduce crashes by 48%.
Roundabouts tend to be installed in areas where there is a heavy traffic and a lot of large, commercial vehicles for a reason. Because they keep traffic moving so efficiently, without the need for full stops, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates that converting just 10% of the nation’s regular intersections to roundabouts would have saved 654 million gallons of fuel and 981 million hours of shipping delays in one year alone.
Unfortunately, roundabouts do take a little getting used to, especially when drivers are nervous about them. The vast majority of drivers adjust quickly – but not all. If you end up in a wreck with a driver who was confused about how to signal and where to yield in a roundabout, you may need to seek fair compensation for your vehicle damage, medical bills, lost wages and more.
