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IMMEDIATE Laura Southard (804) 786-6458 Laura.Southard@VDOT.Virginia.gov

CO-0734 July 30, 2007

VDOT TALKS STRAIGHT ON DRIVING ROUNDABOUTS
Driver training now includes roundabout instruction

RICHMOND – They aren’t just scenic spins in the countryside, nor are they circular tangles in foreign cities. At least 35 roundabout intersections are sprinkled throughout Virginia, and 26 more have been approved for construction. They are safer than traditional intersections with traffic signals, and they may cost less to build in certain locations, too.

Most drivers appreciate the simple, safe design of roundabouts, but it is natural to be apprehensive when approaching one for the first time. To help motorists maneuver through roundabouts, the Virginia Department of Transportation teamed with the Department of Education and the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a new driver’s education curriculum. Now students learning to drive in Virginia will view a video and a narrated slide show on safely navigating roundabout intersections. Some 3,300 copies of “Driving Modern Roundabouts – Rules of the Road” and “Roundabouts – The Virginia Experience” have been distributed to both public and private driver’s education teachers throughout the Commonwealth.

The video was the brainchild of VDOT’s Roundabout Committee, assisted by the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Virginia State Police.

“Roundabouts are found all over the world, and we’re now seeing the benefits of them in Virginia,” said Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner David S. Ekern, P.E. “Quite simply, this is why we need them: they reduce crashes, traffic delays, fuel consumption and air pollution. And if that isn’t enough, roundabouts can cost less to build and maintain. They are one of the safest at-grade intersections.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety supports Virginia’s roundabout efforts, and the institute’s research attests to safety of the circular intersections. Roundabouts have been shown to reduce fatal and injury crashes as much as 75 percent. Reduction in crashes is due to slower speeds and fewer potential conflict points than are found in traditional intersections. Other benefits include the elimination of maintenance and electricity costs required for traffic signals and the aesthetic opportunity to beautify the intersection’s central island with landscaping.

Seasoned drivers also may learn about driving through roundabouts from the new educational video and slide show, which are posted on VDOT’s Web site at http://www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-roundabouts.asp

Note to news directors and editors: attached is a list of current roundabout locations in Virginia. It should be noted that roundabouts don’t work for every at-grade intersection. Traffic engineers must evaluate multiple factors at each potential site to determine whether roundabouts would be the preferred design.