There’s nothing that makes you hit the horn quite like a roundabout.
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But all petty frustrations aside, the misuse of this standard road feature can have serious consequences.
In 2016, there were a total of 918 casualty crashes at roundabouts in NSW resulting in two fatalities.
1046 people were injured, including 208 seriously injured.
Though no small number, research confirms roundabouts do save lives.
“About 40 per cent of serious injury crashes occur at intersections, with research indicating roundabouts reduce the incidence and severity of crashes,” Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon said.
“Rather than having a head-on collision, roundabouts deflect vehicles.
“The rules for using roundabouts are very important, but they are one of the most misunderstood road rules.”
Robert Buckley, owner operator of Riverina Driving Academy said in his region road rules on roundabouts are frequently broken and there remains a gross misunderstanding of them among many drivers.
“When they first brought out roundabouts you didn't have to indicate off, then about 10 years later they said you had to, but they didn’t advertise how to go in and out of them correctly.
“As a result a lot of the older generation genuinely don’t know how to use them correctly,” Mr Buckley said.
“People often change lanes within the roundabout which is taboo, do not change lanes within the roundabout, and indicate when you’re going off the roundabout”
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