In our road safety awareness efforts we recognize that we do not have all the knowledge, and that there might others with expertise able to assist in these efforts. We have been offered further assistance with regards to driving at traffic circles and roundabouts and would like to quote from an email reveived:
“The article posted here:
http://www.arrivealive.co.za/pages.aspx?i=2163 is, I feel, ambiguous and only serves to further the confusion. The vast majority of the traffic circles found in South Africa are mini circles and not roundabouts. The law applying to the two differs in that a mini circle is much like a four way yield. The first person to cross the line has the right of way.
While a roundabout confers the right of way to traffic approaching from the right there is a minor caveat in that the law states that you give way to traffic on your right already in the circle, not traffic approaching the circle.
We have created a web site to specifically help alleviate this confusion and make our roads a little safer. You can find it here:
Thank you”
We referred this to one of our other Road Safety experts and would like to share his comments as well:
“The website at http://www.circles.org.za is certainly a nice and clean website, with succinct information. It’s a good initiative…
There is, however, still a matter that has not been made clear in the legislation regarding the Roundabout sign R137, and that has mainly to do with the right of way on multi-lane roundabouts. The official wording per the Road Traffic Act for the Roundabout sign (R137) is as follows:
Indicates to the driver of a vehicle that he or she shall move in a clockwise direction at the junction ahead and he or she shall yield right of way to traffic approaching from the right, within the roundabout, where such vehicles are so close as to constitute a danger or potential danger.
The writer of the email above mentions that “there is a minor caveat in that the law states that you give way to traffic on your right already in the circle, not traffic approaching the circle.”
To be pedantic, that statement is not actually 100% correct. As you can see above, the law states that you must give way to traffic approaching from the right, within the traffic circle. There is a difference between that statement and what the writer of the email below says, where s/he says “give way to traffic on your right already in the circle.”
This latter version could imply that if you are already on the roundabout then you must also give way to traffic on the roundabout that is changing lanes from the right, because that traffic would be on your right. But that is not what the road sign’s official explanation states. And I’m sure that it was not what the email writer meant either.
It is this issue that I believe is the cause of a lot of the confusion amongst motorists when it comes to multi-lane roundabouts. The reason is that these kinds of roundabouts include yet another factor — the procedure for changing lanes, which does not say you must give way to traffic on the right. Nor must you give way to traffic changing lanes (approaching?) from the right.
The procedure for changing lanes clearly places the onus of the driver wishing to change lanes to give way to traffic already in the lane into which he wants to move. And there is a rule of the road and a K53 procedure that govern this.
So, there remains a missing link in the legislation on exactly how motorists should handle those thorny situations where there are two lanes of traffic already on the roundabout and the driver in the inside lane wants to exit the roundabout. Until that gets sorted out I guess there will always be “issues” of who has right of way on multi-lane roundabouts, and resultant road safety issues too.
The problem does not lie with the creators of http://www.circles.org.za but with the legislation itself which is totally inadequate when it comes to multiple-lane roundabouts.
For reference, here is an extract from my e-mail of 15 July 2009, in response to a question from one of your site visitors:
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Here is my take on this particular question, based on the rules of the road and the K53 procedures for changing lanes and for turning at an intersection. There is no rule of the road that states which lane you must drive in while within a roundabout.
Traffic conditions prior to reaching the roundabout may prevent you from changing lanes prior to reaching the roundabout anyway. So, you may have no option with regard to what lane to use within the roundabout. No blame can therefore be apportioned to either driver for using a “wrong” lane. The answer lies not in the roundabout rules, but in the rules related to changing lanes anywhere and to turning left at an intersection.
The rules and K53 driving system require the following safety checks – in ordinary language (not the Act’s legalese):
Changing lane to the left:
• Before changing lanes, check in the mirrors to see if it is safe to signal.
• Check in the left blind spot.
• If it is safe to change lanes, signal to the left.
• Check the left blind spot again.
• If safe, steer into the lane to the left and position the vehicle in the lane.
• Cancel the signal.
Turning left at an intersection (the basic safety checks only, in the correct sequence):
• Before turning, check in the mirrors.
• Check in the left blind spot.
• If it is safe to turn, signal left.
• Check the left blind spot again.
• Check in the mirrors.
• Adjust speed as necessary.
• Check the left blind spot again, if applicable.
• Steer left into the adjoining road, into the appropriate lane.
• Check in the mirrors.
• Cancel the signal.
Therefore, it would seem that the onus was on the driver in the inside lane to make sure it was safe to change lanes. If not safe, he should have continued round the circle again until it was safe to change lanes to the left lane. If it is safe to change lanes, and a signal is given to indicate such an intention, then safe driving practice would suggest that the motorist behind should notice that signal and not overtake the motorist wishing to move into his lane.
Not slowing down a little would make the other driver’s lane change (that was at first safe to execute) now unsafe. The LH lane driver should show courtesy and slow down if appropriate and if safe to do to, to let the vehicle ahead complete the lane change safely.
However, if there is any doubt about safety, the motorist wishing to change lanes carries the responsibility of ensuring that it is safe to do so before signalling and again before changing lanes.
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I’m not yet convinced that the multi-lane roundabout concept is such a good idea for South Africa, given the level of stupidity that prevails on our roads. It certainly can create dangerous situations, especially in the absence of any rules of the road to govern right of way procedures specific to these kinds of roundabouts.
Regards,
Gavin
Author:
Pass Your Learner’s Easily, and
The New K53 Manual
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