Construction of modern roundabouts in place of traditional four-legged intersections is becoming common in the United States. Roundabout negotiation can be confusing for drivers who are not familiar with their use. This research was carried out to identify roundabout elements that play a role in incorrect roundabout negotiation, ascertain driver characteristics prominent in incorrect roundabout negotiation, assess the relative potential for incorrect negotiation amongst different groups of drivers, and suggest measures for improving drivers abilities to negotiate roundabouts. Potential for incorrect roundabout negotiation was measured by asking questions in a survey questionnaire related to rules of roundabout negotiation and the purpose of different roundabout elements. Results showed six driver groups that had greater potential for incorrect roundabout negotiation: (1) Unfamiliar roundabout users compared to familiar users (those drivers using roundabouts more than once per month). (2) Passenger vehicle drivers compared to specialty vehicle drivers (police, bus, etc.). (3) Drivers in cities without roundabouts compared to drivers in cities with roundabouts. (4) Older drivers compared to younger drivers (ages less than 60 years). (5) Drivers who dislike roundabouts compared to drivers that like roundabouts. (6) Drivers that are not confident they can drive through a roundabout compared to drivers that are confident they can drive through a roundabout. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting