There are over 550 roundabouts in Wisconsin, with most in the south and eastern parts of the state.
Because roundabout traffic only travels in one direction, the possibilities of head-on collisions and left turn-related crashes are virtually eliminated, Qin said. These are two of the most severe and deadly types of collisions.
Additionally, the circular design of roundabouts is intended to slow drivers to speeds where crashes are far less severe.
Roundabouts don't only offer safety benefits. They're also better for the environment, make traffic more efficient and ultimately cost less to maintain than other intersection types, Qin said.
Roundabouts also cost less to maintain than other intersection types because they do not use traffic lights or electricity.
Milwaukee definitely needs more roundabouts to help combat reckless driving.
the possibilities of head-on collisions and left turn-related crashes are virtually eliminated
intended to slow drivers to speeds where crashes are far less severe.
I've definitely heard that they're safer, but this just seems to indicate that the crashes aren't as bad. Are there also fewer crashes?
Although some studies point to roundabouts causing higher numbers of minor crashes ― a point which WisDOT recognizes in its manual ― Qin said, in terms of injury severity, roundabouts are considerably safer.
Oh... ok. Not dying is a perk, but I'm sure everyone will be super stoked to be in more accidents that are right around the cost of their insurance deductible.
It often feels harder to drive defensively in a roundabout (especially multi-lane roundabouts) when I need to look over my left shoulder to make sure it's clear to merge while also looking to my right to make sure that the guy in the lane next to me or the other guy getting on at the next entrance know to yield to me. In a traditional intersection, all "conflict points" that the article mentions are in front of you as you enter the intersection.
Roundabouts are deathtraps. The reason they "work" is that they're so obviously deathtraps that even blithering idiots realize it and slow the fuck down.
"Work" is also in quotes because their throughput is so much less than a proper intersection. Roundabouts put zero effort into preventing starvation of a particular route.