Driving around the roundabout is a problem for some drivers, and many are not even aware that they are navigating roundabouts incorrectly. Thus, they create emergency situations and make other road users nervous, who are forced to maneuver to avoid accidents. We will help you figure out what the 2018 Traffic Regulations will say about driving through roundabouts and how they will be fined for it next year.
It is especially important to understand all the nuances and rules for beginners who have recently driven a car and have not yet gained experience. Before entering the roundabout, many of them find themselves confused and don’t know which lane to start driving from, which turn signals to turn on, how to change lanes correctly and leave the roundabout?
Roundabout - what does it look like?
A roundabout, commonly called a circle or ring, is a section of road along which cars move counterclockwise. This principle applies in countries with right-hand traffic. On left-hand roads, cars enter the ring from the opposite side and move clockwise. Traffic around the roundabout continues until the driver leaves it, and this can last indefinitely - this is not a traffic violation.
Roundabouts are not regulated - they do not have traffic lights. Priority for entry/exit is determined by road signs and corresponding markings. When entering the roundabout, you don’t have to turn on your turn signals. They must be used when changing lanes into adjacent rows.
Often large roundabouts are placed around squares and other large areas, and pedestrian crossings are placed on them - they are uncontrolled. Drivers driving along the roundabout are required to give way to pedestrians crossing the roadway.
How to choose a band?
The Russian Traffic Rules for 2018 do not have a strict provision regarding entry into a roundabout intersection. At the same time, paragraph 8.5 states how to change the direction of movement by different areas roads, making maneuvers with turns left and right. It also explains how a U-turn is performed according to the rules. In all these cases, drivers are required to perform maneuvers from the outer lanes.
It is not necessary to enter the roundabout from the right, but it is allowed to do so from any lane. The main thing is to do everything so that the lane does not change. Accordingly, if you are moving in the leftmost lane, you cannot immediately occupy the right lane on the roundabout - this is a serious violation that can lead to accidents. You need to take the same lane, and during the roundabout, change lanes if necessary.
If the number of lanes on the circle does not coincide with their number on the supply sections of the road, you need to maneuver in advance and change lanes into the desired lane. When changing lanes on a circle, be careful and let other road users pass before the maneuver. The interference on the right has no effect in this situation.
Entering the ring correctly
How to start driving along the ring with the main road? As we said, according to the 2018 traffic rules, you can enter the ring from any lanes. This must be done from an equivalent lane, that is, from the right side only to the right, and from the left to the left.
If you choose a straight path or need to make a right turn, stay in the right/center lane. If you need to make a left turn or a U-turn, stay in the left lane.
In real road conditions, when entering a circle, turning on the right turn signal can confuse other road users. They will assume that you are planning to change lanes. If the driver decides to continue driving around the roundabout, he turns left, but this is against the rules of the road - don't do it.
If you need to immediately take the right exit, turn on the right turn, and if you plan to go further towards other exits, you need a left turn. Immediately before the exit - right signal.
Difference between right and left lanes
When entering the roundabout from the rightmost lane, it will be more convenient for you to take the first exit to the right. Use your right turn signal to inform other drivers about your planned maneuver so that they understand that you do not plan to drive further along the roundabout.
If you continue to drive in a circle, you can stay in the right lane and move out of it by turning on the right turn signal. Moreover, such behavior can cause some inconvenience to the driver himself. If you need to move along the ring for a long time, it is better to change lanes to the inner lane, since on the right side you will likely intersect with the trajectories of other cars.
Please note that when entering the ring from the right lane, you can initially stay on the right side, but later you can change lanes - this is not prohibited by the rules.
We enter the circle from the left lane
In this situation, you must let traffic already on the circle pass and continue driving in the same lane inside the intersection. Departure is carried out according to the following scheme: first we change lanes to the right, then we let traffic approaching from the outside roads from the right pass (in the right lane).
Accidents on the roundabout usually occur as a result of a driver on the inner circle forgetting to give way to drivers on the outer circle when leaving.
For safe passage for yourself and other motorists roundabout you need to understand who, where and how should move out. Everything is quite logically determined by the factor of who is in which row. For example, if the driver is moving in the first or second rows, then he is preparing to move out, and if in the middle or left, he is planning to move on. However, there are exceptions, so be guided by the turn signals that are turned on and do not forget about them yourself.
To maneuver in order to exit the circle, you need to change into the right lane in a timely manner. If you are standing and driving in the center lane, change lanes to the far right to exit onto the adjacent road.
When two cars change lanes at the same time, you must give way to the one moving on the right, in accordance with the traffic rules regarding the corresponding obstacle.
Leaving the circle
You must exit the roundabout only from the rightmost lane. This most important rule for this maneuver, since the road you plan to enter may have up to five lanes. In this regard, first take the right lane, and then, if necessary, change into any other lane in accordance with the traffic rules.
Perform the maneuver in such a way as not to drive into oncoming traffic. From the far right lane, drivers exit the roundabout, but no one forbids them from continuing to drive straight. From the left lane you are only allowed to drive in a circle, without leaving until you change lanes. In general, does the rule apply to all intersections, including roundabouts? You can turn right only from the extreme right position.
As for the “main road” and “roundabout” signs, they indicate that you don’t have to let other cars pass before leaving - the one on the roundabout has priority.
How to use turn signals?
It is important to know when and which turn signals need to be turned on when driving around roundabouts. Subject to the 2018 traffic rules, every driver is required to use them, although many people forget about this and in vain. In general, the circle is not fundamentally different from ordinary intersections at which you make turns.
In order not to violate traffic rules, turn signals on the ring should be used as follows:
- when entering a circle, turn on the right one;
- when changing lanes into an adjacent row, turn on the right or left turn signal, respectively;
- When leaving the roundabout, we use the right turn signal again.
In general, an elementary rule for all motorists applies here: where you turn the steering wheel, you turn on the turn signal.
General rules useful for drivers
To summarize, I would like to list the key rules and subtleties that motorists should remember when driving at roundabouts. Remember them, and you will not have problems on the following sections of roads:
- Driver traffic priorities are determined by markings and road signs.
- Drivers on secondary roads are required to yield to traffic moving from the main road.
- Follow the signs before the roundabout. In most cases, the circle is the main one.
- Pedestrian crossings without regulation are also found at roundabouts - be careful.
- If there is a traffic light, start driving according to its signal.
- When entering the roundabout, turn on the right turn signal, regardless of the planned trajectory and the lane you are going to occupy.
- Once on the circle, you only need to turn left when changing lanes to the adjacent lane on the left.
- As you approach the desired exit, move into the right lane if you are not already in it.
- When there are STOP or Yield signs in front of the roundabout, traffic in the roundabout has priority. Otherwise, cars entering the ring have an advantage.
- It is prohibited to turn around before entering the roundabout - you must enter the roundabout.
On November 8, new rules for driving roundabouts came into force. If there is no “Main Road” sign when entering such an intersection, the driver must give way to all cars on the circle. The corresponding decree on changing traffic rules when driving through roundabouts was signed by the Prime Minister at the end of October. Then Medvedev said that traffic rules regarding driving around circles are interpreted differently depending on the regions.
The circles were driven differently
“Even in one city there can be different schemes, depending on what kind of intersection it is,” the head of government explained the need to introduce new rules. - Because of this, there are conflict situations, which could have been avoided if these rules had been uniform. Now priority for passage is given to those who move around the circle itself, and those entering will have to give way. This practice exists in almost all European countries and has proven its effectiveness.”
The problem with discrepancies in interpretations was repeatedly raised in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru by the head of the Probok.net expert center, a member of the government commission on road safety, Alexander.
“In 2010, a resolution was adopted according to which the circle is considered the main thing for motorists. However, the wording in the traffic rules remains the same, according to which the circle is considered secondary when driving if there are no other road signs. As a result, it turned out that people remembered that the circle was the main one, while others remembered that the circle was secondary, and many still do not understand how to drive correctly,” Shumsky told Gazeta.Ru.
“Many people, including me, slow down not only when entering a circle, but also when leaving it. Just in case, you never know who might come to your side.
But if everything is done correctly, then organizing a roundabout increases the throughput of the intersection by 30-40%. At the same time, it’s funny that the practice has really spread, according to which the circle is considered the main thing. But in different regions everything may turn out to be completely different, for example, in the Caucasus they drive differently than in the Urals. In Moscow, it is customary to consider the circle to be the main one, but as soon as you go somewhere beyond the Moscow Ring Road, for example, to Dzerzhinsk, you start to get confused again.”
You also need to follow the rules when leaving the circle.
The head of the “Main Road” program, in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru, drew attention to the fact that drivers should remember not only the rules for entering roundabouts, but also for leaving them.
“Initially, the roundabout was invented in order to relieve congestion at intersections, and now traffic rules have led to monotony - the circle is the main one everywhere,” said Scriabin. “But now the traffic situation on roundabouts will largely depend on the administration of such sections by road workers: that is, how road workers will mark, for example, intersections that only seem circular, but in fact are equivalent. After all, the presence of a flowerbed in the middle does not mean that a circular movement is organized here.
But drivers have problems not only when entering a circle, but also when leaving it. So, everyone remembers that you can enter the roundabout from any lane, but many forget that you can only leave by occupying the far right lane.”
Danger lurked behind the buses
The head of the interregional drivers' union, Alexander, believes that uniform rules for driving roundabouts will reduce the number of accidents.
“Before, in the good old days, the circle was always the main thing,” Kotov recalled in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru. “Then changes were introduced to the traffic rules, because different roads are adjacent to the intersection, so some of them were marked with a “main road” sign, others were “non-main roads.”
And if there were 5-6 entries per circle, the drivers got lost. Especially if the traffic is heavy, and they rarely drive in this circle.
In Moscow, even professional drivers who knew all the intersections found themselves in situations where road signs were unexpectedly changed and it turned out that they became traffic violations. And it is very good that now uniform rules of passage have been legalized - everyone who is on the adjacent directions on the right must yield to me if I am driving in a circle.
There will also be no such situations when, for example, girls are driving in small cars in a circle, and an articulated bus is driving on the right, covers the give way sign, drives away, and the girl does not see that she needs to slow down, and someone flies into her side from the right who is sure that he is driving along the main road.
Since November 8, 2017, significant changes have been made to the traffic rules regulating the rules of roundabouts. They must be followed to avoid accidents.
Dear readers! The article talks about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is individual. If you want to know how solve exactly your problem- contact a consultant:
APPLICATIONS AND CALLS ARE ACCEPTED 24/7 and 7 days a week.
It's fast and FOR FREE!
Compliance with traffic rules is a vital necessity. A motorist must know what to do in a certain situation.
For example, if an intersection includes traffic in a circle, the traffic rules for this section mean right choice lanes and safe exit from this part of the road.
It is important to comply with certain standards, because otherwise there may be a possibility of an emergency situation.
Key Aspects
Driving around roundabouts is a problem for some drivers, and many are unaware that they are driving roundabouts incorrectly.
Thus, they create emergency situations and make other traffic participants worry, who are forced to maneuver to avoid an accident.
For driving incorrectly around the roundabout, the driver will be fined. The driver's driver's license may also be taken away.
It is especially important to understand all the features of traffic rules for beginners who have recently gotten behind the wheel and have not yet gained experience.
What is a roundabout intersection
A roundabout is a section of the road that is shaped like an island and travels counterclockwise.
If traffic is driving on the left side of the road, then at this intersection traffic will be directed in the opposite direction.
Photo: Roundabout at an intersection
Circular traffic is carried out until vehicles leave this part of the road. Intersections of this type are not regulated. There are no traffic lights installed on them.
In such a situation, the one driving around the circle has priority; drivers entering the circle are required to give way.
Turning on the turn while driving this part of the road is not mandatory. The need for their use is advisable only when the motorist wants to change lanes.
Where are these signs installed?
The “Roundabout” sign is placed at the entrance to the roundabout. Pedestrian crossings located on the ring are always unregulated.
And signs and markings indicate priority traffic at the intersection. The traffic rules have a specific list of road elements that are allowed to be installed on the roundabout and in front of it.
Signs that may appear before:
- "Roundabout Circulation";
- "Give Way";
- "Main Road";
- "Non-stop traffic is prohibited."
When driving with stops, a car approaching an intersection must stop and let other vehicles moving on it pass and then enter. Otherwise, the motorist will violate the traffic rules, which may lead to an accident.
Legislative regulation of the issue
The traffic rules do not provide a separate paragraph that would describe in detail how to move correctly on a roundabout.
Traffic rules experts point to clause 13.9, but it only stipulates the rules about entering a circle in two situations - the circle is the main and additional road.
This paragraph does not specifically describe circular motion. Paragraph 13.9 teaches motorists to only pay attention to the signs when entering the roundabout.The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation “On Amendments to the Traffic Regulations of the Russian Federation”, which entered into force on November 8, 2017, prescribes the rules for driving roundabouts.
After this document comes into force at intersections, priority is given to vehicles located on the circle.
According to the decree, at the intersection of equivalent roads, the owner of a trackless vehicle is obliged to give way to vehicles passing on the right. Tram drivers must also follow this rule.
Directions for driving around a roundabout
Driving through the circle begins at the entrance to the circle. Regulation at intersections of this type occurs without the help of a traffic light.
Turn signals are devices that drivers sometimes forget about when crossing this section of the road. This is a gross violation, because driving in a circle may contain many maneuvers, about which other motorists must be warned.
Photo: roundabout rules
It is important to pay attention to technical means organizing travel before entry. Usually the roundabout intersection is a priority, but other roads are not always of secondary importance.
When moving around the ring, a motorist is obliged to follow his lane and not become an obstacle to other road users.
And when performing a maneuver you need to use turn signals. In another situation, there is a greater possibility of an accident occurring.
Many motorists do not turn on their turn signals when driving around the ring, deceiving other motorists on the road. Therefore, you need to follow the rules of the DD.
When driving in a circle, each driver must adhere to the rules of passage. There are often other roads adjacent to the roundabout. The motorist must think in advance what maneuvers he will carry out.
How to choose the right stripe
In modern traffic rules there is clause 8.5, which prescribes that motorists, when turning right or left, as well as when making a U-turn, take the extreme position on the road, taking into account the direction of the turn.
The exception is when driving through a roundabout. That is, today a motorist can enter the ring along any of the lanes.
At the same time, the motorist must remember that if he enters from the right lane, then he must drive in a circle in the right lane. The same is true for the left inner lane.
If you prefer the entry lane to the roundabout, you should not forget about the exit. For example, consider a three-lane intersection.
When a parent needs to go to the first exit, the correct choice would be the first page. If another exit is needed, it is better to choose the middle lane.
For the third exit, it is better to choose the left lane on the roundabout. This choice of lanes helps reduce traffic jams.
However, according to the DD rules, nothing will prevent a motorist from driving in any chosen lane. As a result we have:
- driving around the circle starts from any lane;
- it is necessary to start moving around the circle from the same lane from which you entered the circle;
- the choice should be made taking into account the required congress.
Using turn signals when there is a traffic light
The driving rules for the first and second turns are different. The first one is much easier to do. To do this, you need to move to the outer lane as you pass, without interfering with other cars.
Be sure to pay attention to turn signals. You should also reduce your speed. Turning left is more difficult and must only be done in accordance with traffic regulations.
Therefore, you must first take left side on the road. The lane change maneuver is performed with the corresponding turn signals turned on.
When driving at intersections regulated by traffic lights, you must first determine which traffic light signal corresponds to the required direction.
If the traffic light consists of three parts, then there will be no problems. In this situation, signals respond in all directions.
If the traffic light has additional green sections, the situation will become more difficult. If the driver needs to turn left or turn the vehicle around, then the direction is answered either by an additional section, the arrow of which points to the left, or by the main section of the traffic light.When driving straight, the main section of the traffic light always corresponds to the direction. When turning right, you must steer either the right section or the main section.
After this, it is necessary to determine whether it is possible to given time drive and whether it is necessary to let cars through.
When the green signal turns on, the motorist must give way to vehicles completing the circle and to pedestrians who have not completed crossing the road.
Departure from this traffic according to the new rules
It is not necessary to drive in a circle only in the far right lane. True, it is better for beginners to drive through the ring on the right side.
This solution has a number of advantages. This will save time, because you will not need to change lanes.
The exception is those cases when cars are parked in the right lane. But then it is better to go around them and continue driving on the right side. This decision will help prevent accidents.
If a motorist needs to continue driving straight after crossing the circle, then he must occupy the middle row. This will prevent an accident.
After all, most often motorists who want to continue driving straight along the outer lane meet with motorists in the middle lane who want to turn right.
When leaving a roundabout, a motorist must learn one rule. Exit is only allowed from the far right lane. Before this, if you were driving in another lane, you must give way to the car, after which you can move out.
Amount of fine
Since there are rules, there are also penalties for breaking them. They depend on the violation. The roundabout won't cost you anything if you follow the traffic rules.
The most common mistakes made by motorists:
- driving in the oncoming lane;
- ignoring the priority of vehicles traveling along the main road;
- The turn signal was not turned on when maneuvering.
The exact amounts of fines can be found in regulatory documents. For example, for driving clockwise, a driver’s license is taken away from a motorist.
In the Rules for driving through roundabouts. The legislator left us a good reason in the new rules that they can be interpreted in two independent articles. What a reason - .
Let me remind you where the noise comes from - it’s just one new paragraph in .
13.11 1. When entering an intersection where there is a roundabout and which is marked with sign 4.3, the driver of the vehicle is obliged to give way to vehicles moving along such an intersection.
And because this paragraph is only one, the question remains open: “Should it be applied to unequal intersections? In this part our answer is “Yes”. Priority in roundabout traffic at all intersections. We'll look at the answer "No" later.
The purpose of this article is to clearly show you the main situations that will appear from November 8, 2017 in the “It Was - It Was” format.
Moving in a circle is always the main thing
This is the first and only difference that does not depend on interpretation.
There is no need for “Give Way” road signs. However, according to this interpretation, they can be left. There will be no contradiction.
Priority on a circle can be set with one sign 4.3 “Circular traffic” When driving in a circle you should always give way
And exactly at midnight the carriage will turn into a pumpkin. After the chimes, priority will immediately disappear when entering the roundabout in front of which there is a lonely “Roundabout” sign.
Restoring priority is only possible by installing a “Main Road” sign. In this case, the “Roundabout” sign must be dismantled, otherwise there will be mutual priority.
The second option is to leave the intersection without a sign at all, at the mercy of everyone’s favorite “interference on the right.”
It is possible that at individual congresses the priority will be determined additionally. Without the “Roundabout” sign, all exits are independent mini-intersections.
Priority when entering a roundabout The main road goes straight
A fairly common scheme for organizing traffic at roundabouts using sign 8.13 “Direction of the main road.” And from November 8, 2017, roundabouts at such intersections should become obsolete.
The main advantage of the absence of roundabouts at such intersections will be the ability to continue driving along the main road without having to squeeze into one lane at the exit.
Now these are not two right turns, but a bend in the road. This will certainly increase the throughput of the intersection.
The main road runs across
The same intersection, only the entrance is from the other side. Here you need to remember that if you intend to turn, drive through the circle after entering the intersection, you must immediately take the leftmost position.
Invalid combination
It has already been noted above that the combination of signs 2.1 “Main Road” and 4.3 “Roundabout” causes a contradiction.
The “Main Road” sign indicates priority for those entering the intersection, and the 4.3 “Roundabout” sign informs that traffic with priority is already moving around the circle.”
The combination of “Main Road” and “Roundabout” signs is unacceptable Once again I would like to remind you that the relevance of these clarifications is exactly half. It is unknown which scale the legislator will lean on, but amendments to the amendments are necessary. Be careful, always make sure that you are allowed through, even if you have priority, of which from November 8, 2017 until an unspecified time you can only be 50% sure
On Wednesday, November 8, new traffic rules came into force in Russia. The main innovation in the set of traffic rules will be a change in the priority of traffic at intersections with roundabouts - from now on, cars moving in a circle will receive it. The Russian government said the purpose of introducing this change was to increase safety and improve the organization of traffic at intersections.
“The signed resolution supplemented the traffic rules with a new clause 13.11¹, which establishes the priority of passing through a roundabout intersection. The rules defining the procedure for driving through uncontrolled intersections have been adjusted,” the government decree says.
So, paragraph 13.11¹ of the traffic rules says:
“When entering an intersection where there is a roundabout and which is marked with sign 4.3 (“Roundabout.” - RT), the driver of the vehicle is obliged to give way to vehicles moving at such an intersection.”
Also, the third paragraph of clause 13.9 was excluded from the traffic rules: “If sign 4.3 is installed in front of a roundabout intersection in combination with sign 2.4 (“Give way.” - RT) or 2.5 (“Moving without stopping is prohibited.” — RT), the driver of a vehicle located at an intersection enjoys priority over vehicles entering such an intersection.”
- RIA Novosti
IN Russian government explained that the previously established traffic rules that determined the procedure for driving through roundabout intersections often caused mixed perceptions among drivers. This, in turn, led to congestion and road accidents.
Driving patterns for roundabout intersections varied not only in regions, but even within the same city. The changes introduced unify the traffic pattern and are designed to reduce accidents on the roads.
The government emphasized that the priority of passing roundabout intersections has been established in almost all European countries, and such a scheme allows increasing the capacity of the road network.
The second significant change in traffic rules concerns intersections with intersecting traffic flows.
The rules introduce a special road marking “Intersection Zone” in the form of the intersection of yellow diagonal lines in a square that marks the boundaries of the intersection.
From now on, regional authorities will have the right to apply these special markings in problem areas to improve traffic management and increase safety.
The government explained that accidents and traffic difficulties that arise at intersections were often caused by road users violating clause 13.2 of the traffic rules:
It is prohibited to drive to an intersection or intersection of roadways if a traffic jam has formed that will force the driver to stop, creating an obstacle to the movement of vehicles in the transverse direction.
According to the Code of Administrative Offenses, such actions are punishable by a fine of 1 thousand rubles.
“The actual application of such an administrative measure is hampered by administrative difficulties. One of the possible ways to solve this issue is to use special road markings,” the government noted.
Motorists generally rate the innovation positively. Experts note that in Europe, similar rules of conduct at intersections have been in effect for a long time, effectively organizing traffic.
“The main change is the procedure for driving through the roundabout intersection. In many European countries this rule has been in effect for a long time. Probably, their experience is good enough to adopt it and relieve the congestion of the ring, as well as the roads adjacent to the ring,” Valery Soldunov, chairman of the All-Russian Society of Motorists, told RT.
- RIA Novosti
At the same time, he noted that at first the new rules may cause confusion among traffic participants.
“I am a motorist myself and I can say that such an innovation at first can lead to the opposite effect - if not to congestion, then at least to misunderstanding and confusion among drivers. We are accustomed to different rules, we have already formed a certain mentality, and it will take time to relearn. On the other hand, I am sure that the amendments that came into force today were adopted on the basis of research and examination. Let’s hope that in the future there will be less traffic jams,” Soldunov said.
Automotive expert Vyacheslav Subbotin also called the changes in the rules for driving at a roundabout intersection logical. However, he emphasized that the likelihood of misunderstanding each other among drivers in such areas still remains.
“It’s still controversial. A roundabout may be one where you will need to give way: if there is a sign indicating the main road, and there is a picture of how the main road passes through the circle, you have driven along it, and those who drive further will be required to give way,” Subbotin said to RT.
However, the expert believes that there will be no serious impact on traffic there will be no innovations. Subbotin did not rule out that in the first time after the introduction of new features of the traffic rules, problems may arise with both the roundabout and the “waffle iron”.
He also commented on the new markings at difficult intersections - the so-called waffle iron. According to the auto expert, such markings will be convenient not only for motorists, but also for pedestrians.
“Waffle Iron” is a completely European experience, when complex intersections are painted with bright yellow diagonal markings. This is an additional warning to drivers not to drive out if there is a traffic jam. But this is not only to ensure that traffic is calm, but also to ensure that pedestrians can cross such an intersection diagonally. Because at similar intersections in Europe, the “Red Everywhere” mode is turned on for traffic, and “Green Everywhere” for pedestrians. Ultimately, the capacity of such an intersection increases,” the expert concluded.
