Roundabouts

The APPROACH procedure to all roundabouts and road junctions are exactly the same:

MSM-PSL-LAD

M – MIRROR

S – SIGNAL

M – MANOEUVRE

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P – POSITION

S – SPEED

L – LOOK

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L – LOOK

A – ASSESS

D – DECIDE

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As you approach the roundabout remember to apply the MSM – Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre routine. The Manoeuvre consisting of Position – move to the appropriate lane for the direction you intend to take, Brake – to reduce speed, Gear – select the appropriate gear for the lower speed, Look – to decide whether you will be able to continue, or whether you may have to reduce your speed further or even need to stop, Assess – Is there any approaching traffic? Decide – Can you proceed? Will you cause another road-user to take avoiding action?

Most importantly do not attach any time limit to emerge from a roundabout or road junction. Wait until there is a safe gap and time to move off safely and under full control. A good safety guide to help you to decide would be ‘If in Doubt – DON’T!’

If you have waited for some time because of the heavy volume of traffic and then you take a chance and pull out causing another road-user to take avoiding action, not only would you fail your driving test, but more importantly, you are not being safe to yourself or to other road-users, which as you will appreciate is dangerous. The fact that you have stopped to wait, in itself suggests that you decided that it was not safe to proceed, so to pull out at a later time when it is still not safe contradicts your initial assessment of the traffic situation. To sum, be patient and wait for a ‘suitable’ gap before pulling out.

Another tip is to judge it as if you were a pedestrian. When would you walk across this road? If you would walk across the road, then it is safe to drive off. If you wouldn’t begin to walk across, then it is not safe to drive off. Remember that you have been a pedestrian much longer than you have been a driver, so use your pedestrian experience. The speed that you could emerge onto the roundabout as a pedestrian is similar to the speed which you would move off in 1st gear in your car. It is only when you accelerate into 2nd gear that your car is faster than if you were walking.

If you should find that you have accidently chosen the ‘wrong’ lane for where you were asked to go, or intended to go, abandon where you were going to go, and follow the direction for the lane that you are now in. You will NOT fail your driving test for going in the wrong direction. But you will fail your driving test if you attempt to change your course on the roundabout, particularly if you are forcing another road-user to take avoiding action.

APPROACH AND TURNING LEFT AT A ROUNDABOUT

  1. Approaching the roundabout sign check the rear view mirror
  2. Look at the layout of the roundabout on the road sign and for your destination road
  3. Check the left-hand side mirror
  4. Signal to the left
  5. Check the rear view mirror and left-hand side mirror again
  6. Position to the left
  7. Check rear view mirror
  8. Brake to reduce speed to 20mph or less
  9. Assess the roundabout for approaching traffic from the right
  10. Select the appropriate gear for the speed (2nd gear for less than 20mph, 1st gear for walking speed or less)
  11. Decide whether to proceed or stop
  12. When it is clear, or if it is clear on the approach, continue onto the roundabout
  13. Look into the road that you are turning into for hazards (pedestrians crossing the road, parked vehicles or queuing traffic)
  14. Check your rear view mirror
  15. If the road is clear build up your speed and change up to the next gear

 

APPROACH AND GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD AT A ROUNDABOUT

  1. Approaching the roundabout sign check the rear view mirror
  2. Look at the layout of the roundabout on the road sign and for your destination road
  3. Check both the right-hand AND left-hand side mirror
  4. Check to see how many lanes there are and if there are any direction arrows or destinations painted on the lanes
  5. Check the rear view mirror and left-hand side mirror again
  6. Decide which lane you need to use
  7. Check the rear view mirror AND appropriate side mirror
  8. Move safely into your chosen lane
  9. Brake to reduce speed to 20mph or less
  10. Assess the roundabout for approaching traffic from the right
  11. Select the appropriate gear for the speed (2nd gear for less than 20mph, 1st gear for walking speed or less)
  12. Decide whether to proceed or stop
  13. When it is clear, or if it is clear on the approach, continue onto the roundabout
  14. Exercise strict Lane Discipline by positioning your car so that you don’t cut into anyone else’s lane and cause vehicles beside you to take avoiding action
  15. As you reach the turning just before your exit, check your rear view mirror and signal left
  16. Check your left-hand side mirror
  17. Begin to position your car to the left hand side of the road if it is safe to do so
  18. Look into the road that you are turning into for hazards (pedestrians crossing the road, parked vehicles or queuing traffic)
  19. Check your rear view mirror
  20. If the road is clear build up your speed and change up to the next gear

 

APPROACH AND TURNING RIGHT AT A ROUNDABOUT

  1. Approaching the roundabout sign check the rear view mirror
  2. Look at the layout of the roundabout on the road sign and for your destination road
  3. Check the right-hand side mirror
  4. Signal to the right
  5. Check the rear view mirror and right-hand side mirror again
  6. Position to the right
  7. Check rear view mirror
  8. Brake to reduce speed to 20mph or less
  9. Assess the roundabout for approaching traffic from the right
  10. Select the appropriate gear for the speed (2nd gear for less than 20mph, 1st gear for walking speed or less)
  11. Decide whether to proceed or stop
  12. When it is clear, or if it is clear on the approach, continue onto the roundabout
  13. Keep in close to the centre island of the roundabout
  14. As you reach the turning just before your exit, check your rear view mirror and signal left
  15. Check your left-hand side mirror
  16. Begin to position your car to the left hand side of the road if it is safe to do so
  17. Look into the road that you are turning into for hazards (pedestrians crossing the road, parked vehicles or queuing traffic)
  18. Check your rear view mirror
  19. If the road is clear build up your speed and change up to the next gear