How To Drive a Roundabout:

• As a driver approaches a roundabout, there will be a YIELD sign. The driver should slow down, watch for pedestrians and bicyclists and be prepared to stop if necessary.
  
  
• When a driver enters, he/she yields to circulating traffic on the left, but does not stop if the way is clear.
  
  
• The roundabout will have ONE WAY signs mounted in the center island. They help guide traffic and indicate that the driver must stay to the right of the center island.
  
  
• When approaching the desired exit leg, the driver should turn on his/her right turn signal and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists as he/she exits.
  
  
• Left turns are completed by traveling around the central island.

How To Approach a Roundabout:

• Reduce your speed. Always keep to the right of the splinter island (either painted or raised) on the approach to the roundabout.

How To Enter a Roundabout:

• Upon reaching the roundabout yield line, yield to traffic circulating from the left. 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.

When you are 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.

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

How to Turn in Roundabouts:

• 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
  
  
  
• When going straight ahead (i.e., exiting halfway around the roundabout), use the following procedure:
  • Do not use any turn signals on approach.
  
  
  
• When turning left or making a U-turn (i.e., exiting more than halfway around the roundabout), use the following procedure:
  • Turn on your left turn signal.
  • 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.

Driving a car in a Roundabout:

• Turning right
• Going straight ahead
• Turning left or making a U-turn
• Large vehicles
• Emergency vehicles

Turning right or exiting at the first exit around the roundabout:
(Flash demo demonstrating the instructions below)¹

1. Reduce your speed. Use your right-turn signal.
   
   
2. Keep to the right of the splinter island.
   
   
3. Watch for cyclists and allow them to enter the roadway in front of you.
   
   
4. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.
   
   
5. Move up to the yield line and wait for an acceptable gap in traffic. Do not enter next to someone already in the roundabout, as that vehicle may be exiting at the next exit.
   
   
6. Within the 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.
   
   
7. Keep to the outside of the circulatory roadway within the roundabout and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit.
   
   
8. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.

Going straight ahead:
(i.e., exiting halfway around the roundabout):
(Flash demo demonstrating the instructions below)¹

1. Reduce your speed.
   
   
2. Keep to the right of the splinter island.
   
   
3. Watch for cyclists and allow them to enter the roadway in front of you.
   
   
4. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.
   
   
5. Move up to the yield line and wait for an acceptable gap in traffic. Do not enter next to someone already in the roundabout, as that vehicle may be exiting at the next exit.
   
   
6. Within the 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 counter clockwise direction.
   
   
7. Maintain your position relative to other vehicles. Stay to the inside if you entered from the left lane, or stay to the outside if you entered from the right lane.
   
   
8. Do not overtake other vehicles or cyclists when in the roundabout.
   
   
9. When you have passed the last exit before the one you want, use your right-turn signal and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit. Maintain a slow speed.
   
   
10. When exiting from the inside lane, watch out for leading or adjacent vehicles on the outside that continue to circulate around the roundabout.
    
    
11. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.

Turning left or making a U-turn:
(i.e., exiting more than halfway around the roundabout):
(Flash demo demonstrating the instructions below)¹

1. Reduce your speed. Use your left-turn signal.
   
   
2. Keep to the right of the splinter island.
   
   
3. Watch for cyclists and allow them to enter the roadway in front of you.
   
   
4. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.
   
   
5. Move up to the yield line and wait for an acceptable gap in traffic. Do not enter next to someone already in the roundabout, as that vehicle may be exiting at the next exit.
   
   
6. Within the 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.
   
   
7. Maintain your position relative to other vehicles. Stay to the inside.
   
   
8. Do not overtake other vehicles or cyclists when in the roundabout.
   
   
9. When you have passed the last exit before the one you want, use your right-turn signal and continue to use your right-turn signal through your exit. Maintain a slow speed.
   
   
10. Watch out for leading or adjacent vehicles on the outside that continue to circulate around the roundabout.
    
    
11. Watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.

Exiting the roundabout:

Maintain a slow speed upon exiting the roundabout. Always indicate your exit using your right-turn signal. 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.

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 it 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.

Emergency vehicles:

If you are in a roundabout when an emergency vehicle is approaching exit the roundabout and proceed to beyond the splinter island of your exit before pulling over. If you haven't entered the roundabout yet, wait until the emergency vehicle has passed before entering. These steps will help to clear out the roundabout for the emergency vehicle.

Driving a truck:

To negotiate a roundabout in a truck, you may need to use the full width of the roadway, including mountable aprons if provided. Be mindful of the location of all other users of the roundabouts. Prior to entering the roundabout, you may need to occupy both lanes. Signal your intentions well in advance and satisfy yourself that other users are aware of you and are giving you consideration.

Bicyclists
(Flash demo demonstrating the instructions below)¹

Well-designed, low-speed, single-lane roundabouts should not present much difficulty to bicyclists. On the approach to the entry, signal your intentions and merge into traffic. It is generally safest for cyclists to claim the lane. Keep in mind that drivers should be travelling at about 30 to 40 km/h.

Instructions for Peddle Bikes:

1. Ride as if you were driving a car. Vehicles in roundabouts travel 30-40 km/h, close to the speed you ride your bicycle. When riding in a bike lane or on the shoulder, merge into the travel lane before the bike lane shoulder ends. Obey all the same driving instructions as for cars. It is generally safest for cyclists to claim the lane. Don't hug the curb. Ride close to the middle of the lane. Be cautious of drivers' blind spots.
   
   
2. Younger bikers may use the sidewalk. In this case cyclist should dismount and walk the bicycle across the crosswalks like other pedestrians on the sidewalk.

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.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians have the right-of-way within crosswalks at a roundabout; however pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb or other safe waiting place and walk into the path of a vehicle if it is so close that it is an immediate hazard. Specific education beyond these general instructions can be obtained for disabled pedestrians by contacting the City.

• Do not cross the circulatory roadway to the central island. Walk around the perimeter of the roundabout.
  
  
• Use the crosswalks on the legs of the roundabout. If there is no crosswalk marked on a leg of the roundabout, cross the leg about one vehicle-length away (25 ft.) from the circulatory roadway of the roundabout. Locate the wheelchair ramps in the curbs. These are built in line with a grade-level opening in the median island. This opening is for pedestrians to wait before crossing the next roadway.
  
  
• Roundabouts are typically designed to enable pedestrians to cross one direction of traffic at a time. Look and listen for approaching traffic. Choose a safe time to cross from the curb ramp to the median opening (note that although you have the right-of-way, if approaching vehicles are present, it is prudent to first satisfy yourself that conflicting vehicles have recognized your presence and right to cross, through visual or audible cues such as vehicle deceleration or driver communication). If a vehicle slows for you to cross at a two-lane roundabout, be sure that conflicting vehicles in adjacent lanes have done likewise before accepting the crossing opportunity.

Most roundabouts provide a raised median island halfway across the roadway; wait in the opening provided and choose a safe time to cross traffic approaching from the other direction.

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