Who has the upper hand in this picture? The driving instructor explains the rules of the roundabout

We are talking about roundabouts, of course, and several viral videos on the Internet about entering such an intersection from the wrong direction or frantically circling around the island in “search” for the exit, are still a reason for hilarious laughter. However, as experts explain, driving in a roundabout should not be a reason for either mystery or hysteria – if simple traffic rules are followed.

First and foremost – the vehicle in the roundabout has the right of way

In Serbia, roundabouts are generally represented by an inverted triangle sign, that is, a sign that means “intersection with a road with the right of way”. In addition, some of the roundabouts have an additional blue traffic sign before the entrance, as a sign of notification that you are approaching a roundabout.

Driving instructor Jugoslav Trijić explains for “Blic”, the first and basic rule of movement at such an intersection is that the cars in it have the right of way.

– The rule in a roundabout with one lane is very simple. First, adjust your speed and before entering the roundabout look to the left. Be aware that vehicles already moving in the roundabout have priority over those just entering. A single-lane roundabout does not require a turn signal when entering, as it is simply assumed that you are going left. You give the right direction indicator, i.e. the blinker, when exiting the roundabout and at any of its exits, as this informs other road users that you are exiting the roundabout.. It is not necessary to slow down or stop when exiting, except in the case when there are pedestrians at the crosswalk or if an ambulance is approaching, which you always have to miss – explains Trijić.

In a multi-lane roundabout, realignment on time is important

As for roundabouts with multiple lanes, as he says, the rules are identical, but it is necessary to follow the horizontal signaling and other posted traffic signs. And in this case, he adds, the first and basic rule of the circular flow applies – priority is given to drivers who are already moving within it.

– In roundabouts with multiple lanes, the rule that drivers from the inner lane do not pass those from the outer lane is most often violated. The driver from the inner lane, i.e. the one that is closer to the island in the roundabout, has to let the driver from the outer lane pass as if it were a classic realignment on a two-lane road, and that with mandatory flashing. So, here the rule applies as if you were driving on a normal road with two or three lanes, which means that the left turn signal is given only in case of realignment. When exiting a roundabout with multiple lanes, as well as in the case of a roundabout with one, the right turn signal is given before exiting – explains Trijić.

When asked what to do if the outer lane is crowded and disconnection is not possible, our interlocutor answers that it is possible to make another full circle around the island, which is not such a common option, or “wait in the inner lane until the conditions for realignment are met.”

According to him, the most common confusions in these cases occur due to the fact that roundabouts with multiple lanes do not have signs for realignment before entering them, so the driver could decide in advance which lane he will use.

– That is why it often happens that someone drives in the outer lane all the time, even though they only turn off at the third, fourth or further exit. Therefore, it is important to choose the right lane in a roundabout with more than one, and before that think about where you should turn off before entering the roundabout. If you are exiting on the first shutdown, then enter the roundabout in the right lane and follow the outer lane until the exit. If, on the other hand, you exit at the last exit, you should enter the inner lane from the left lane, then realign yourself in time before the shutdown – says the driving instructor.

“One more lap around Slavia”

Such situations where it is simply not planned in advance which exit from the roundabout should be taken, are characteristic of the most famous roundabout in the country, Belgrade’s Slavija.

– There is no exemption from these rules for her either. Another thing is that anyone who has driven a Slavija knows that the “school rules” are not really applicable on the spot, and that is mainly because people do not use the blinker properly or do not use it at all, so the famous “one more lap around the Slavija” happens. until they “hit” the exit. And in fact, it is simple and there should be no mystery and hysteria even with a roundabout, and so with this one – the left when you’re changing lanes, like on any other road, and the right when you’re exiting – Trijić is clear.

He notes that if there is no traffic sign before the roundabout, as is almost the standard case on the roads in Greece, then the standard traffic rule applies as at any other intersection, that is, right-hand rule. Then the vehicle coming from the right has priority over the one already in the roundabout.

Fear because roundabouts are rare and a novelty in our country

Our interlocutor believes that a good number of drivers in Serbia have a “fear” of roundabouts because, unlike in many other countries, they are not the majority of intersections, and in some cities they came to life relatively recently, only a few years ago.

– They are not used to it and are afraid of the new, but it is quite enough to know the traffic rules and stick to them. When it comes to faster and more efficient traffic flow, Roundabouts are the “law” and the absolute best solution. In many world metropolises there are roundabouts with twenty exits, twice as many as in Slavia, so the traffic flows normally – states the driving instructor.