Rules for driving roundabouts diagram. Circular movement of vehicles according to traffic rules. Features of making a right turn
On November 8, new rules for driving roundabouts came into force. If there is no “Main Road” sign when entering such an intersection, the driver must give way to all cars on the circle. The corresponding decree on changing traffic rules when driving through roundabouts was signed by the Prime Minister at the end of October. Then Medvedev said that traffic rules regarding driving around circles are interpreted differently depending on the regions.
The circles were driven differently
“Even in one city there can be different schemes, depending on what kind of intersection it is,” the head of government explained the need to introduce new rules. — Because of this, conflict situations arise that could be avoided if these rules were uniform. Now priority for passage is given to those who move around the circle itself, and those entering will have to give way. This practice exists in almost all European countries and has proven its effectiveness.”
The problem with discrepancies in interpretations was repeatedly raised in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru by the head of the Probok.net expert center, a member of the government commission on road safety, Alexander.
“In 2010, a resolution was adopted according to which the circle is considered the main thing for motorists. However, the wording in the traffic rules remains the same, according to which the circle is considered secondary when driving if there are no other road signs. As a result, it turned out that people remembered that the circle was the main one, while others remembered that the circle was secondary, and many still do not understand how to drive correctly,” Shumsky told Gazeta.Ru.
— Many people, including me, slow down not only when entering a circle, but also when leaving it. Just in case, you never know who might come to your side.
But if everything is done correctly, then organizing a roundabout increases the throughput of the intersection by 30-40%. At the same time, it’s funny that the practice has really spread, according to which the circle is considered the main thing. But in different regions everything may turn out to be completely different, for example, in the Caucasus they drive differently than in the Urals. In Moscow, it is customary to consider the circle to be the main one, but as soon as you go somewhere beyond the Moscow Ring Road, for example, to Dzerzhinsk, you start to get confused again.”
You also need to follow the rules when leaving the circle.
The head of the “Main Road” program, in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru, drew attention to the fact that drivers should remember not only the rules for entering roundabouts, but also for leaving them.
“Initially, the roundabout was invented in order to relieve congestion at intersections, and now traffic rules have led to monotony - the main circle is everywhere,” said Scriabin. “But now the traffic situation on roundabouts will largely depend on the administration of such sections by road workers: that is, how road workers will mark, for example, intersections that only seem circular, but in fact are equivalent. After all, the presence of a flowerbed in the middle does not mean that a circular movement is organized here.
But drivers have problems not only when entering a circle, but also when exiting it. So, everyone remembers that you can enter the roundabout from any lane, but many forget that you can only leave by occupying the far right lane.”
Danger lurked behind the buses
The head of the interregional drivers' union, Alexander, believes that uniform rules for driving roundabouts will reduce the number of accidents.
“Before, in the good old days, the circle was always the main thing,” Kotov recalled in an interview with Gazeta.Ru. “Then changes were made to the traffic rules, because different roads are adjacent to the intersection, so some of them were marked with a “main road” sign, others were “non-main roads.”
And if there were 5-6 entries per circle, the drivers got lost. Especially if the traffic is heavy, and they rarely drive in this circle.
In Moscow, even professional drivers who knew all the intersections found themselves in situations where road signs were unexpectedly changed and it turned out that they became traffic violations. And it is very good that now uniform rules of passage have been legalized - everyone who is on the adjacent directions on the right must yield to me if I am driving in a circle.
There will also be no such situations when, for example, girls are driving in small cars in a circle, and an articulated bus is driving on the right, covers the give way sign, drives away, but the girl does not see that she needs to slow down, and someone flies into her side from the right who is sure that he is driving along the main road.
And then prove why this happened.”
The government-approved innovations are just one of many changes in the lives of motorists in recent years. Quite a few of them are still planned to be implemented. So, as Gazeta.Ru was the first to report, next year most Russian traffic rule violators will be notified of fines. The innovation will affect those who paid the fine with a 50 percent discount.
The first roundabout was created in Paris (around the Arc de Triomphe) in 1901. A mandatory element of this type of intersection is the presence of an “island” - an area inaccessible to vehicle traffic. Approaching the island, vehicles slow down and move around it strictly counterclockwise (in relation to right-hand traffic) until leaving it in the direction they need. The exit from the roundabout happens, too, only to the right.
For the most part, such intersections are not equipped with traffic lights and are unregulated. In addition to achieving aesthetic goals (beautiful clubs, stellas, etc.), the organization of intersections of this type allows you to:
- Increase (by reducing the exit speed) the safety of the intersection. Low speed accidents have much less consequences.
- Increase throughput. This doesn’t always work out, but all other things being equal, circles do a better job than regular intersections.
- Reduce waiting time (in the absence of a traffic light, no need to wait for the green light).
- Increase the number of paths connected by an intersection to almost any number (it all depends on the diameter of the circle). While a traffic light intersection usually regulates no more than 4 access roads.
In addition, the circles are more environmentally friendly and less noisy. Allows you to further decorate the area. Their maintenance costs are lower (due to the lack of traffic lights). True, they take up a lot of space.
As for the organization of vehicular traffic, starting from November 8, 2017, priority when crossing intersections of this type is given to vehicles moving in a circle. The rule “he who has it gives way”, which applies when crossing uncontrolled intersections, has ceased to apply in relation to roundabouts.
What signs are installed at roundabouts?
To indicate a roundabout intersection in the traffic rules, there is a sign 4.3 “Roundabout”. This sign is prescriptive and informs that movement is allowed only in the direction indicated by the arrows, the first turn is made only to the right. Turning around when entering such an intersection is prohibited.
Since November last year (according to clause 13.11(1) of the Traffic Regulations), this sign also indicates the priority of cars moving in a circle. Before this date, in order to notify drivers of the presence of such priority (at a specific intersection), a 2.4 “Give Way” sign was additionally installed.
Shortly before entering the intersection, sign 1.7 “Roundabout Intersection” is placed; its task is to inform the driver about approaching an intersection that has a certain specificity.
Priority signs can also be installed together with the prescriptive sign. Installing sign 2.1 “Main Road” at the entrance to the roundabout will mean that priority will be given to vehicles entering the intersection. Priority signs are higher in importance than prescriptive signs. If there is a traffic light at such an intersection, the driver is obliged to obey the traffic light signals. A working traffic light has the highest priority. Green – movement is allowed, red – prohibited. - one of the most serious traffic violations. And it is seriously punished.
Organization of traffic by lanes
When arriving at such an intersection, many drivers have questions about what to do next.
Paragraph 8.5 of the traffic rules states that entry into the circle can be carried out:
- On a multi-lane access road - from any lane (both right and left).
- With a single lane, the vehicle must enter the intersection in the right (outer) lane. And only after this, his driver has the right, by turning on the left turn signal, to move to the adjacent left lane (clause 8.6).
You can leave the intersection without breaking the rules only from the far right lane. The driver must take care of changing lanes in advance. Trying to turn from the left lane, he creates a danger for vehicles moving in the right lane. Moreover, in the event of a collision, he will be the one to blame for the accident.
When moving in a circle, road users must observe (if there are appropriate signs and markings) the traffic lanes and change lanes only to exit the roundabout. That is, when crossing such an intersection, he must make only two turns, both to the right. The first time to get into the circle, the second time when leaving it.
When choosing a lane in a circle (when it has three or more lanes), you should adhere to:
- to the right if you need the nearest exit;
- in the middle, if the goal is to drive straight through the intersection;
- in the left lane if you need an exit leading to the left.
Compliance with these rules allows you to avoid unnecessary fuss at the intersection associated with changing lanes of cars. The throughput of the intersection increases and the likelihood of accidents decreases.
Traffic rules require the driver to indicate a change in the direction of movement of his vehicle with turn signal signals. In the event of a malfunction of the turn signals, the signal should be given by hand in accordance with clause 8.1 of the traffic rules.
So, when entering a circle, and then at the exit from it, you need to activate the right turn signal. Thus indicating to motorists moving in the immediate vicinity that they are turning right.
If, while driving in a circle, the driver needs to move from the right lane to the left (to move to the far exit), he must inform others about this by turning on the left turn signal. Ignoring the need to signal with direction indicators when performing maneuvers is an administrative violation that entails a fine.
It must be remembered that turning on the turn signal does not give the driver an advantage. When performing a maneuver, he must first make sure that he does not interfere with other motorists.
When driving through an intersection, a driver may violate (through ignorance or intent) a number of traffic rules, for which he may be punished. The punishment for violating traffic rules is a fine, or even deprivation of rights for a certain period (in accordance with the severity of the offense).
Possible violations of the rules when driving in a roundabout in 2019 are as follows:
- Driving through a prohibitory traffic light (if the intersection is equipped with one) or a traffic controller. Article 12.12 of the Administrative Code. Fine 1000 rub. (5000 or deprivation of rights in case of repeated violation).
- Did not give way to a vehicle that had the right of way (drove into a circle, interfering with the driver who was already on it). Article 12.13 of the Administrative Code. Fine 1000 rub.
- Leaving the intersection is not from the far right lane. Article 12.14 of the Administrative Code. Fine 500 rub. (or warning).
- Turn signals not turning on. Article 12.14 of the Administrative Code. Fine 500 rubles. (or warning).
- Driving against the direction of the roundabout. A very dangerous act, like any. Sanctions – 5000 rubles. or deprivation of rights for up to six months (Article 12.15).
That is, there are no specific penalties that are imposed specifically for driving incorrectly in a roundabout. These are all general violations for any circumstances.
There is no clear instruction prohibiting stopping on sections of the road with circular traffic. Therefore, you can park in a circle if there are no signs prohibiting it on this section of the road, and if the stopped car does not violate a number of distance requirements:
- To the pedestrian crossing (less than 5 m).
- From a stopped vehicle to the dividing strip, or the opposite edge (must be more than 3 m).
- Before the intersection with the roadway of the intersection (less than 5 m).
- Close to public transport stops (less than 15 m).
And other rules governing the stopping of vehicles on the roadway.
Conclusion
There is nothing wrong with roundabout intersections. You just need to remember and clearly understand the following information:
- The “Roundabout” sign, which gives priority to vehicles moving in a circle, refers to unregulated intersections of equivalent roads. That is, in the absence of other signs and traffic lights (regulators).
- If the intersection is regulated, then the driver is guided by the signals of the traffic light or traffic controller. Green – go, red – stand.
- If the roads are not of equal importance (as determined by the “Main Road” or “Give Way” signs), then the driver moves in accordance with the status of his road. Regardless of whether it is on a roundabout or on a driveway.
- It is necessary to turn (when leaving the roundabout) from the right lane so that the driver does not have an obstacle on the right.
Everything else is general cases of application of traffic rules.
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The rules of the road contain some subtleties and tricks that the driver learns with experience. One of these “rules of attentiveness” regulates driving at roundabouts. Although it would seem that crossing the ring is as easy as shelling pears, many drivers are still confused in this situation. So, in order to avoid falling into one of the pitfalls, you need to understand everything thoroughly.
Amendments in 2017
New rules were adopted in November 2017. The bill states that cars driving in a circle now have unquestioned authority. In other words, those wishing to enter the ring must give way to cars moving along it.
What is a roundabout
A roundabout, simply put, a circle or ring, is a section of the road where cars drive counterclockwise. This principle applies in countries where roads are driven on the right side. Driving on the left means driving around the ring in the opposite direction, that is, clockwise. Traffic around the ring will continue until the car leaves this section of the road.
Regulation of intersections of this type is not provided; traffic lights are not placed at them. Priority for entry and exit is determined by road signs and markings. When entering such an intersection, it is not necessary to turn on your turn signals. The driver should use the turn signal only if he is about to change lanes.
Note: often large roundabouts with roundabouts are located around squares and other areas of considerable size, and on them, in turn, pedestrian crossings are installed, which are not regulated in any way. Here, a driver moving along the roundabout must give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the road in this section.
Road signs in this area
The main confusion now occurs with the signs in front of the ring. The fact is that until a certain moment there was only sign 4.3 in front of this section "Roundabout Circulation" in the form of a blue circle with three white arrows directed against the clock. It meant (and still means) that cars on the ring let all cars entering the circle pass, that is, the rule of interference on the right applies. Accordingly, entering motorists can calmly and freely continue driving without slowing down.
However, the Government of the Russian Federation issued Resolution No. 316 of May 10, 2010, which allows the installation of 2.4 signs near ring roads "Give Way" and 2.5 "Driving without stopping is prohibited". This means that in this case, cars moving around the ring have priority. In other words, a motorist entering a roundabout is required to slow down and let all vehicles moving around the roundabout pass, otherwise such a driver will become a violator. Then he can safely enter the intersection and move further along his lane to the desired exit.
In addition to the signs described above, sign 2.1 may also be present "The main road". Here, the one moving on the main road has the right to drive without letting anyone pass, and, accordingly, motorists driving on the secondary road stop and give way to him. The main direction is considered to be the one highlighted on the sign with a thick line.
Selecting a lane when passing through an intersection
The Code of Traffic Regulations does not contain a separate provision for entry into roundabouts. However, paragraph 8.5 says that before changing the direction of your movement on a certain section of the road, that is, turning left or right, as well as making a U-turn in the opposite direction, you must first stand in the far right lane. The exception to this rule is those same roundabout intersections.
That is, the motorist is not required to enter the roundabout from the right. He can enter there from any lane, but he must also enter the intersection according to the lane he occupies. In other words, when driving from the far left lane, the driver does not have the right to stand in the far right lane - this would be a gross violation and could provoke an emergency. In such a situation, most driving instructors say that the exit occurs into an equivalent lane.
If the number of lanes on the ring does not coincide with their number on the previous section of the road, the driver must perform a maneuver in advance, changing lanes into the desired lane. You can also change lanes later, that is, after entering the circle. Then it will be possible to enter the left lane only after letting other road users pass.
Rules for driving around a roundabout
Before entering the ring section of the road, it is very important to follow the signs that define the traffic rules in this place. As mentioned above, before the roundabout there is a mandatory sign 4.3 “Roundabout”, there may be a sign 2.5 “No stopping”, 2.4 “Give way”, 2.1 “Main road”, as well as signs indicating which of the directions has the highest priority.
In most cases, this intersection implies that the ring is the main road, but other roads are not always of secondary importance. When moving around the ring, a motorist must drive in his own lane so as not to interfere with the movement of other vehicles and not provoke emergency situations on the road.
Right turn
The right turn maneuver at the roundabout must be performed by making sure that the cars driving in the neighborhood are ready to let you pass. You should change into the far right lane with the appropriate turn signal on, having first slowed down.
Left turn
When driving through a roundabout, you must turn left according to the rules. That is, before performing this maneuver, the driver must move his vehicle into the far left lane. If there are only two lanes at the roundabout, then you need to start the maneuver on the left, and upon reaching the desired exit, change into the right lane and make a turn.
Important: when turning, never forget to turn on the appropriate signal, this way you can at least avoid the dissatisfaction of other drivers, and at maximum prevent a collision.
To turn left at a roundabout with three lanes, you need to change lanes to the right twice. These actions require special care and attention. The road user must objectively assess the current situation in a particular area.
It is possible to overcome the ring section of the road using the described methods, unless signs or markings indicate a different driving order. By carefully looking around, you can easily understand who has priority on a particular road segment.
Go straight
Roundabouts often have adjacent roads, and there may be several of them. Based on this feature, the driver must determine the driving strategy and maneuver tactics. When the number of rows on the ring is more than two, preference should be given to the middle one. If there are two lanes on the road, then the choice should be made based on the current situation. When driving on the main road, you must make sure that other cars notice you and let you pass. If the road along which the vehicle is moving is of secondary importance, then the driver needs to stop and give way to all passers-by.
When driving through the ring road, you can stay in the right lane. But sometimes this behavior can somewhat complicate the movement of other cars. A vehicle moving in the middle row will need free space to maneuver to the right. Therefore, to avoid troubles, it is better to immediately occupy the central lane.
Before entering the ring road, the driver must stop and give way to all pedestrians.
Leaving the roundabout lane
Having understood how to enter a roundabout and how to drive through it, it is time to figure out how to exit it. Every driver knows that you need to exit the roundabouts only in the far right lane. Having assessed the situation, the driver must let all the cars driving to his right pass, and then he can change into the next lane.
Important: You can enter a roundabout intersection from any lane, but you can exit it only from the rightmost lane.
Among other things, the ring road is notable for the fact that overtaking is allowed in this section. In addition, the car must stop no closer than 5 meters before the junction of the intersection with the main roadway.
The video contains all the details about the rules for driving through intersections.
Responsibility and fines for driving incorrectly at an intersection
A driver who violates traffic rules at a roundabout is guaranteed to receive a fine. Traffic police officers set the amount of payment depending on the offense itself and any of its features. When entering the ring road at a red traffic light, a citizen will be required to pay fine of 1000 rubles, and if he repeatedly violates this prohibition, then payment will increase to 5,000 rubles. Sometimes, as a second punishment, the court may deprive the driver of his license for a period of 4 to 6 months.
In addition to this violation, a law enforcement official may impose a fine on the driver in the following cases:
- driving a car in the oncoming lane;
- if the motorist does not give way to a vehicle traveling on the main road;
- if the car stopped on a ring section of the road;
- if during the maneuver of changing lanes the motorist did not turn on the turn signal;
- when leaving the roundabout not from the far right lane.
When a violator does not provide priority on the ring road, a traffic police officer may issue a fine for various reasons. Thus, a driver who prevents other road users from entering a roundabout intersection in a place where there are no road signs is subject to a fine of 1000 rubles. The same amount will be paid by a violator who ignores these signs that are installed in front of the intersection.
The driver will lose his driver's license, if it violates the direction of movement in a circle. It is worth remembering that cars move counterclockwise along the ring road.
According to the updated rules of conduct on the road, you can only stand at a roundabout in front of the roadway being crossed, that is, 5 meters before leaving the roundabout. If a motorist violates this rule, he will pay a fine of 500 rubles.
To summarize, we can say that at a roundabout it is important to be extremely careful and follow traffic rules as closely as possible. The most important thing is to choose the right lanes for maneuvers.
Driving around the roundabout is a problem for some drivers, with many not even realizing that they are navigating roundabouts incorrectly. Thus, they create emergency situations and make other road users nervous, who are forced to maneuver to avoid accidents. We will help you figure out what the 2018 Traffic Regulations will say about driving through roundabouts and how they will be fined for it next year.
It is especially important to understand all the nuances and rules for beginners who have recently driven a car and have not yet gained experience. Before entering the roundabout, many of them find themselves confused and don’t know which lane to start driving from, which turn signals to turn on, how to change lanes correctly and leave the roundabout?
Roundabout - what does it look like?
A roundabout, popularly called a circle or ring, is a section of road along which cars move counterclockwise. This principle applies in countries with right-hand traffic. On left-hand roads, cars enter the ring from the opposite side and move clockwise. Traffic around the roundabout continues until the driver leaves it, and this can last indefinitely - this is not a traffic violation.
Roundabouts are not regulated - they do not have traffic lights. Priority for entry/exit is determined by road signs and corresponding markings. When entering the roundabout, you don’t have to turn on your turn signals. They must be used when changing lanes into adjacent rows.
Often large roundabouts are placed around squares and other large areas, and pedestrian crossings are placed on them - they are unregulated. Drivers driving along the roundabout are required to give way to pedestrians crossing the roadway.
How to choose a band?
The traffic rules of the Russian Federation for 2018 do not have a strict provision regarding entry into a roundabout intersection. At the same time, paragraph 8.5 states how to change the direction of movement on different sections of the road, making maneuvers with turns to the left and right. It also explains how a U-turn is performed according to the rules. In all these cases, drivers are required to perform maneuvers from the outer lanes.
It is not necessary to enter the roundabout from the right, but it is allowed to do so from any lane. The main thing is to do everything so that the lane does not change. Accordingly, if you are driving in the leftmost lane, you cannot immediately occupy the right lane on the roundabout - this is a serious violation that can lead to accidents. You need to take the same lane, and during the roundabout, change lanes if necessary.
If the number of lanes on the circle does not coincide with their number on the supply sections of the road, you need to maneuver in advance and change lanes into the desired lane. When changing lanes on a circle, be careful and let other road users pass before the maneuver. The interference on the right has no effect in this situation.
Entering the ring correctly
How to start driving along the ring with the main road? As we said, according to the 2018 traffic rules, you can enter the ring from any lanes. This must be done from an equivalent lane, that is, from the right side only to the right, and from the left to the left.
If you choose a straight path or need to make a right turn, stay in the right/center lane. If you need to make a left turn or a U-turn, stay in the left lane.
In real road conditions, when entering a circle, turning on the right turn signal can confuse other road users. They will assume that you are planning to change lanes. If the driver decides to continue driving around the roundabout, he turns left, but this is against the rules of the road - don't do it.
If you need to immediately take the right exit, turn on the right turn, and if you plan to go further towards other exits, you need a left turn. Immediately before the exit - right signal.
Difference between right and left lanes
When entering the roundabout from the rightmost lane, it will be more convenient for you to take the first exit to the right. Use your right turn signal to inform other drivers about your planned maneuver so that they understand that you do not plan to drive further along the roundabout.
If you continue to drive in a circle, you can stay in the right lane and move out of it by turning on the right turn signal. Moreover, such behavior can cause some inconvenience to the driver himself. If you need to move along the ring for a long time, it is better to change lanes to the inner lane, since on the right side you will likely intersect with the trajectories of other cars.
Please note that when entering the ring from the right lane, you can initially stay on the right side, but later you can change lanes - this is not prohibited by the rules.
We enter the circle from the left lane
In this situation, you must let traffic already on the circle pass and continue driving in the same lane inside the intersection. Departure is carried out according to the following scheme: first we change lanes to the right, then we let traffic approaching from the outside roads from the right pass (in the right lane).
Accidents on the roundabout usually occur as a result of a driver on the inner circle forgetting to give way to drivers on the outer circle when leaving.
To drive through a roundabout safely for yourself and other motorists, you need to understand who, where and how should exit. Everything is quite logically determined by the factor of who is in which row. For example, if the driver is moving in the first or second rows, then he is preparing to move out, and if in the middle or left, he is planning to move on. However, there are exceptions, so be guided by the turn signals that are turned on and do not forget about them yourself.
To maneuver in order to exit the circle, you need to change into the right lane in a timely manner. If you are standing and driving in the center lane, change lanes to the far right to exit onto the adjacent road.
When two cars change lanes at the same time, you must give way to the one moving on the right, in accordance with the traffic rules regarding the corresponding obstacle.
Leaving the circle
You must exit the roundabout only from the rightmost lane. This is the most important rule for this maneuver, since the road you plan to enter may have up to five lanes. In this regard, first take the right lane, and then, if necessary, change into any other lane in accordance with traffic rules.
Perform the maneuver in such a way as not to drive into oncoming traffic. From the far right lane, drivers exit the roundabout, but no one forbids them from continuing to drive straight. From the left lane you are only allowed to drive in a circle, without leaving until you change lanes. In general, does the rule apply to all intersections, including roundabouts? You can turn right only from the extreme right position.
As for the “main road” and “roundabout” signs, they indicate that you don’t have to let other cars pass before leaving - the one on the roundabout has priority.
How to use turn signals?
It is important to know when and which turn signals need to be turned on when driving around roundabouts. Subject to the 2018 traffic rules, every driver is required to use them, although many people forget about this and in vain. In general, the circle is not fundamentally different from ordinary intersections at which you make turns.
In order not to violate traffic rules, turn signals on the roundabout should be used as follows:
- when entering a circle, turn on the right one;
- when changing lanes into an adjacent row, turn on the right or left turn signal, respectively;
- When leaving the roundabout, we use the right turn signal again.
In general, an elementary rule for all motorists applies here: where you turn the steering wheel, you turn on the turn signal.
General rules useful for drivers
To summarize, I would like to list the key rules and subtleties that motorists should remember when driving at roundabouts. Remember them, and you will not have problems on the following sections of roads:
- Driver traffic priorities are determined by markings and road signs.
- Drivers on secondary roads are required to yield to traffic moving from the main road.
- Follow the signs before the roundabout. In most cases, the circle is the main one.
- Pedestrian crossings without regulation are also found at roundabouts - be careful.
- If there is a traffic light, start driving according to its signal.
- When entering the roundabout, turn on the right turn signal, regardless of the planned trajectory and the lane you are going to occupy.
- Once on the circle, you only need to turn left when changing lanes to the adjacent lane on the left.
- As you approach the desired exit, move into the right lane if you are not already in it.
- When there are STOP or Yield signs in front of the roundabout, traffic in the roundabout has priority. Otherwise, cars entering the ring have an advantage.
- It is prohibited to turn around before entering the roundabout - you must enter the roundabout.
Attention! The material is NOT relevant!!! .
Good afternoon, dear car enthusiasts!
Despite the fact that roundabouts are designed to facilitate traffic at road intersections, drivers still have a lot of questions about driving through such intersections. When driving through roundabouts, very little attention is paid, which is why some difficulties arise.
First mention in maneuvering rules:
8.5. Before turning right, left or making a U-turn, the driver is obliged to take in advance the appropriate extreme position on the roadway intended for traffic in this direction, except in cases where a turn is made when entering an intersection where a roundabout is organized.
Second in the rules for driving through uncontrolled intersections:
13.9. At the intersection of unequal roads, the driver of a vehicle moving on a secondary road must give way to vehicles approaching on the main road, regardless of the direction of their further movement. At such intersections, a tram has an advantage over trackless vehicles moving in the same or opposite direction on an equivalent road, regardless of the direction of its movement.
If sign 4.3 is installed in front of a roundabout in combination with sign 2.4 or 2.5, the driver of a vehicle located at the intersection has priority over vehicles entering such an intersection.
In the first case, the rules for entering the intersection are determined, in the second, priority.
There are no other explanatory rules for driving through a roundabout, and the general rules should be followed. What is a roundabout?
The first thing to understand is that a roundabout is one intersection with multiple roadways crossing. The roadway on the “ring” is not a separate road, but is intended for exiting from one road to another. (Just like, for example, a section of the roadway at the break in the dividing strip intended for a turn, but not being a road and not forming a separate intersection)
According to clause 8.5 of the rules, if you make a turn when entering an intersection with a roundabout, you do not need to take the extreme position, that is, you can enter the intersection from any lane. Please note, this rule only applies to entering the intersection; when leaving the intersection, you must take the extreme right position on the roadway. Turning from the second lane when leaving an intersection is prohibited.
Now let’s look at a more complex option, which occurs quite often - one of the roads of a roundabout intersection runs along the tangent of the circle
In this situation, the intersection also has a roundabout, let's look at how traffic occurs straight along the second lane on the road.
Despite the fact that the turning maneuver is not carried out, nevertheless, entry into the roundabout occurs and, in the case of straight traffic, exit from it occurs at the same time. It turns out to be a kind of contradiction: on the one hand, we can enter the ring in any lane, but we must exit only from the far right lane. We move straight, without making any maneuvers, but when crossing a “circular traffic”, for some moment we become participants in the traffic along this “ring” and occupy the second lane on it. To exit the roundabout we are forced to cross the far right lane of the roundabout.
Thus, formally, three maneuvers are performed simultaneously
- Entering a roundabout
- Changing lanes to the far right lane
- Exiting a roundabout
This formal division of maneuvers is necessary to determine priority between vehicles that are moving in the traffic circle and those that are only “grazing” it.
If priority signs are not installed at the intersection, then at the intersection of trajectories “1” the red car must give way, guided by paragraph (tip:: 13.11. At the intersection of equivalent roads, the driver of a trackless vehicle is obliged to give way to vehicles approaching from the right. The same rule must tram drivers should be guided by each other.) 11/13(/tip) rules. And at the intersection of trajectories “2”, both cars are in a circular motion and the white car must let the red car pass, as it leaves the lane and crosses the lane of the red car.
There are an infinite number of configurations of roundabout intersections and they are unfairly given too little attention in the traffic rules.
In order to avoid getting into such difficult situations, you need to plan your movement through the intersection in advance, and if you plan to exit the roundabout quickly, it is better to take the far right lane in advance before entering.
Dear you without obstacles!
