Roundabouts are four-way yields that have been used successfully around the world and in parts of Canada. They are starting to be used more frequently in Ontario because they are:

Safer . Many studies have found that roundabouts are safer than traditional types of intersections. Typically there are fewer injuries and less damage to vehicles in collisions because roundabouts have slower and more consistent speeds; traffic is moving one-way; and pedestrians crossing roundabouts only have one direction of traffic to cross at a time.

 

Better for maintaining traffic flow in some areas . There is less waiting at a roundabout and a higher volume of left-hand turns can be handled.

 

Better for the environment . Vehicles approaching a roundabout tend to arrive at a slow “rolling” pace rather than the stop/start at a traffic signal, resulting in lower fuel consumption. Motorists have shorter delays at a roundabout resulting in fewer vehicles idling.

 

More pleasing aesthetically . Roundabouts integrate into the surrounding landscape more easily than traffic signals because they do not require the construction of poles and overhead traffic signals.

 

Adapted from Region of Waterloo roundabout website at www.goroundabout.ca. An All About Roundabouts video about driving through roundabouts is also available on this website.

 

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