56 Chapter 4 — Your Driving Roundabouts Why A Roundabout? TIP  Traffic  Circles and  Roundabouts Roundabout Facts The following shows safety improvements achieved after  roundabouts replaced traditional intersections across  North Carolina: The N.C. Department of Transportation is constructing  more roundabouts to improve safety for drivers,  pedestrians and bicyclists. They also help reduce the  congestion and backups more typical of traditional  intersections with stop signs and traffic signals. A driver generally enters the roundabout more quickly  than if waiting at a traffic signal. In addition, the modern  roundabout is much smaller than older traffic circles and  requires vehicles to travel at lower speeds (15–20 mph),  making them safer than traffic circles.  A traffic circle or  roundabout is a  specially designed  intersection. All  vehicles in a traffic  circle travel to  the right around  the circle in a  counterclockwise  direction until you  come to the road  or street where you  want to turn. You  leave the traffic  circle by making a  right turn. If there  is more than one  lane in the circle,  be sure you are in  the outside lane  before you come  to the place where  you intend to exit  the circle. Look  and signal before  you turn or change  lanes. Never make  a right turn from  an inside lane.  An  entire traffic circle  is an intersection.  Vehicles already in  the circle have the  right of way. DOWN FRONTAL IMPACT  (HEAD-ON) CRASHES: DOWN TOTAL CRASHES: DOWN FATAL AND  INJURY CRASHES: Source: NCDOT’s Mobility and Safety Division (2011)