Safety of Roundabouts: International Overview

Roundabouts have an excellent reputation in traffic safety. This is based on investigations with smaller sample sizes from the initial stage of modern roundabouts. In our days many countries operate a larger number of roundabouts. This is the fundament for safety research with larger samples in recent years in many countries. As a conclusion from all studies, there is no doubt that roundabouts are the safest type of intersection. Especially the single-lane roundabouts reveal the highest level of safety. Also Mini-roundabouts have an extraordinary good safety record. Turbo roundabouts - regarding safety -are on the same level as the single-laned. This high degree of traffic safety is strictly depending on the speed-reducing design of the whole intersection. In comparison to conventional types of intersections like signalized or 2-way-stop intersections, the car occupants and the pedestrians enjoy the highest gains from roundabout safety. On the other hand bicyclists can become a problem for traffic safety at roundabouts. However, also cyclists can be operated with a sufficient degree of safety – but only if the requirements for a safe design are strictly obeyed.