Pedestrians and cyclists should pay close attention on crosswalks near where vehicles exit roundabouts, transportation researchers in the Upper Midwest say.
That’s because drivers are far less likely to yield to them at roundabout exits than entries, according to a recent study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, University of Minnesota and Minnesota Local Road Research Board.
Researchers observed more than 2,800 vehicle-pedestrian interactions at roundabouts over two summers. They also staged 100 crossings, half involving pedestrians and half involving cyclists.
Results show that although 80% of drivers yielded for pedestrians and bicyclists at roundabout entries, only 40% did so at exits.
“The significantly lower yielding rate at exits was likely due to drivers not realizing that they should be yielding, accelerating as they left the roundabout, hesitating to impede circulating traffic and the lack of storage for queued vehicles at crosswalks on exit sides,” a Minnesota transportation research blog states.
Drivers also yielded more often when there were:
- Smaller, single-lane roundabouts where vehicle speeds may be slower and drivers don’t have to consider other drivers in adjacent, same-direction lanes.
- More conspicuous pedestrians and bicyclists, such as crossings off a median island, walking rather than riding a bicycle across and improved pedestrian visibility for drivers turning right.
- Rectangular rapid flashing beacons (whether activated or not), which may be because they were installed in locations where drivers are accustomed to high pedestrian use.
“This work highlighted the need to be very discerning when considering multiple-lane roundabouts,” said Mark Wagner, assistant state traffic safety engineer at the MnDOT Office of Traffic Engineering. Still, he said, “overall, compared to other intersection types, roundabouts are still very safe for all road users.”
