Lexical Development: Roundabouts

A roundabout, also called a traffic circle, road circle, rotary, rotunda or island, is a type of
circular intersection or junction in which road traffic flows almost continuously in one direction
around a central island. So-called "modern" roundabouts require entering traffic to give way to
traffic already in the circle and optimally observe various design rules to increase safety.
Compared to stop signs, traffic signals, and earlier forms of roundabouts, modern roundabouts
reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions by reducing traffic speeds and minimizing T-bone
and head-on collisions. Variations on the basic concept include integration with tram and/or
train lines, two-way flow, higher speeds and many others. Traffic exiting the roundabout comes
from one direction, rather than three, simplifying the pedestrian's visual environment.

Traffic moves slowly enough to allow visual engagement with pedestrians, encouraging
deference towards them. Other benefits include reduced driver confusion associated with
perpendicular junctions and reduced queuing associated with traffic lights. They allow U-turns
within the normal flow of traffic, which often are not possible at other forms of junction.
Moreover, since vehicles on average spend less time idling at roundabouts than at signaled
intersections, using a roundabout potentially leads to less pollution. Also, when entering
vehicles only need to give way, they do not always perform a full stop. As a result, by keeping a
part of their momentum, the engine will produce less work to regain the initial speed, resulting
in lower emissions. Additionally, slow moving traffic in roundabouts makes less noise than
traffic that must stop and start, speed up and brake.

Modern roundabout

Road sign

Europe (right-hand traffic); in the UK a similar sign, with the arrows reversed, is used at mini
roundabouts. A "modern roundabout" is a type of looping junction in which road traffic travels
in one direction around a central island and priority is given to the circulating flow.

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 Lexical Development: Roundabouts

Terminology
The word roundabout dates from early 20th century United Kingdom. In U.S. dictionaries the
terms roundabout, traffic circle, road circle and rotary are synonyms. The term traffic circle is
not used in the United Kingdom, where most circular junctions meet the technical criteria for
modern roundabouts.

Operation and design

The fundamental principle of modern roundabouts is that entering drivers give way to traffic
within the roundabout without the use of traffic signals. Traffic circles typically require circling
drivers to give way to entering traffic. Generally, exiting directly from the inner lane of a multi-
lane roundabout is permitted, given that the intersecting road has as many lanes as the
roundabout. By contrast, exiting from the inner lane of a traffic circle is usually not permitted
without first merging to the circle's outside lane. Direction is determined by whether traffic
drives on the right- or left-hand side of the road. In left-hand traffic countries the circulation is
clockwise; in others, it is anticlockwise.

Safety

A comparison of possible collision points on a roundabout versus a traditional intersection

A small modern roundabout on the Island of Krk

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 Lexical Development: Roundabouts

Statistically, modern roundabouts are safer for drivers and pedestrians than both traffic circles
and traditional intersections - experiencing 39% fewer vehicle collisions, 76% fewer injuries and
90% fewer serious injuries and fatalities (according to a study of a sampling of roundabouts in
the United States, when compared with the junctions they replace
replaced).
d). At junctions with stop
signs or traffic lights, the most serious accidents are right
right-angle, left- turn or head-on
head collisions
where vehicles move fast and collide at high impact angles, e.g. head
head-on.on. Roundabouts virtually
eliminate those types of crashes. s.

Turbo roundabouts

A much applied Dutch turbo roundabout design

In the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech
Republic, Macedonia and Croatia, a relatively new type of two two-lane
lane roundabout designs is
emerging, called turbo roundabouts. These designs require motorists to cho choose
ose their direction
before entering the roundabout, thereby eliminating many conflicting paths and choices on the
roundabout itself, such that traffic safety is increased, as well as speed and capacity. These
designs, seen from above, typically result in a spiralling flow of traffic, giving them the collective
name of turbo roundabouts. Several variations of turbo roundabouts exist. They are frequently
designed for the intersection of a major road crossing a road with less traffic. According to
simulations, a two-lane
lane roundabout with three right turns should offer 12 12–20%
20% greater traffic
flow than a conventional, three--lane roundabout of the same size.

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 Lexical Development: Roundabouts

Exercises:
1. Find in the text the expressions that mean the following:
a) Kružni tok …………………………………………………………………….
b) Raskrižje …………………………………………………………………….
c) Frontalni sudar …………………………………………………………………….
d) Prazan hod …………………………………………………………………….
e) Brzina kretanja …………………………………………………………………….
f) Propustiti/dati prednost …………………………………………………………………….
g) Unutarnja traka …………………………………………………………………….
h) Pješak …………………………………………………………………….
i) Ljudska žrtva/smrtnost ……………………………………………………………………
j) Protok prometa …………………………………………………………………….

2. Write the opposites of the following:

a) Enter ……………………………………………………………………..
b) Clockwise ……………………………………………………………………..
c) Inner lane ………………………………………………………………………
d) Right-handed side ………………………………………………………………………
e) Increase ………………………………………………………………………
f) Speed up ……………………………………………………………………..
g) Start ……………………………………………………………………..
h) Conventional ………………………………………………………………………
i) Simplify ………………………………………………………………………
j) Deference ………………………………………………………………………

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 Lexical Development: Roundabouts

3. Fill in the sentences with the appropriate word from the text:
a) When it comes to roundabouts, road traffic F ……………………… in one direction.
b) The purpose of this road design is to I …………………………… safety.
c) It M……………………………… T-bone and head-on collisions.
d) When traffic moves slowly, it E………………………………… deference towards pedestrians.
e) Using a roundabout L……………………… to less pollution.
f) Slow moving traffic M………………………….. less noise.
g) All this R……………………………………….. in lower emissions.
h) In the UK, most of circular junctions M……………………………. the criteria for modern
roundabouts.
i) Roundabouts E………………………………… some types of crashes.
j) Motorists have to C…………………………. their direction before entering a turbo roundabout.