The number of roundabouts in New South Wales (NSW) has grown from less than about a dozen in 1981 to over 500 in 1989. Until recently there have been too few roundabouts in New South Wales to undertake a definitive study of their safety. This study is the first to attempt an analysis of safety at roundabouts in New South Wales. The location of roundabouts is interesting. About 70 per cent are constructed on local roads and about 75 per cent of roundabouts are in urban areas. In addition, they tend to be program phenomenon, with about 40 of the 176 councils in New South Wales having nearly 80 per cent of the roundabouts. This pattern should change as roundabouts become more widely accepted as a traffic control device in device in New South Wales. The study shows that there has been a 50 per cent overall reduction in accidents at roundabouts with a 63 per cent reduction in fatal accidents, a 45 per cent reduction in injury accidents and a 40 per cent reduction in damage only accidents (A).
Abstract