The purpose of roundabouts is to order traffic and improve road safety. It is an infrastructure that acts as an intersection, so that it allows you to go in different directions. Driving on it shouldn’t be complicated, although some drivers end up finding it a bit confusing. Whether due to ignorance of the regulations or due to mere irresponsibility, problems are recorded when entering, moving inside and leaving it. And this has been revealed once again in a video shared by the collaborative automotive platform SocialDrive.
The images, captured with a rear camera installed in another car in Madrid, show how the driver of a van exits a roundabout from the inside lane and hits the Ford Transit Custom that is moving in the next one. This maneuver should never be done because it blocks the path of other users and can end -as in this case- in a more or less serious mishap. If we are not well placed to take the desired direction, we must go around the ring again.
Some Twitter users revealed the same thing in their comments on the publication: “People at that time don’t remember that they are at a… roundabout… that it is… ROUND? go around again and you’re done crack”, “I’m freaked out by these things, damn it’s a roundabout that if you miss the exit, you can go around it again and that’s it, it takes 1 more minute…” or “The classic roundabouts, people who go inside and want to get out from there and then those who go outside we have to pay attention to stop to let the gentlemen pass”.
It becomes clear that the driver of the van has acted badly. However, it could also be questioned how the driver of the damaged model drives. And it is that when he enters the roundabout he is located in one of the lanes with an arrow that indicates that he must continue straight; Despite the fact that he tries to switch to the one that allows him to continue to the left to continue around the circle and take another exit, he does not do so because he does not have enough space to complete the maneuver because he detects the presence of the van that finally hits him.
To avoid mishaps of this type, it is very important that all drivers comply with the regulations that regulate driving on these infrastructures and always inform other users of their movements with the blinker.
The first thing to remember is that before entering a roundabout, you must give way to vehicles that are already driving through it. Once you access the interior, you should know that the lane you choose depends entirely on the exit you are going to take. In other words, if you are going to exit through one of the first exits, you must position your vehicle in the lane on the right, in this way the movement will be more fluid and it will not hinder the progress of the rest of the users.
In the event that you are going to take another of the exits, you must be in the interior lanes so that when you turn you do not prevent the others from leaving. Once you get closer to your turnoff, you must join the outside lane, you can never leave the roundabout if you are driving in any of the inside lanes. If it is not possible to change lanes, you will have to make a new turn until you can get into the correct place.
Large trucks, due to their large proportions, are forced to cross two or several lanes at the same time, so the rest of the vehicles must facilitate their march. This should also apply to emergency vehicles, such as ambulances or police cars.
