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Roundabouts keep traffic moving safely and steadily. Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than stop sign or signal-controlled intersections. Roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 75 percent at intersections where stop signs or signals were previously used for traffic control, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Studies by the IIHS and Federal Highway Administration have shown that roundabouts typically achieve:
- A 37 percent reduction in overall collisions.
- A 75 percent reduction in injury collisions.
- A 90 percent reduction in fatality collisions.
- A 40 percent reduction in pedestrian collisions.
There are several reasons why roundabouts help reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions:
- Low travel speeds: Drivers must slow down and yield to traffic before entering a roundabout. Speeds in a roundabout are typically between 15 and 20 mph. The collisions that occur in roundabouts are typically minor and cause fewer injuries since they occur at lower speeds.
- No light to beat: Roundabouts are designed to promote a continuous, circular flow of traffic. Drivers only need to yield to traffic before entering a roundabout; if there is no traffic in the roundabout, drivers are not required to stop. Because traffic is constantly flowing through the intersection, drivers don't have the incentive to speed up to try and "beat the light," like they might at a signal-controlled intersection.
- One-way travel: Roads entering a roundabout are gently curved to direct drivers into the intersection and help them travel counterclockwise around the roundabout. The curved roads and one-way travel around the roundabout eliminate the possibility of T-bone and head-on collisions.