Roundabout Facts for Kids

Movement within a roundabout in a country where traffic drives on the left. Note the clockwise circulation.

A roundabout (also known as a traffic island) is a road circle joining three or more roads. Drivers follow a simple rule to avoid crashes.

In countries that drive on the left:

At the island, give way to traffic coming from your right.

The driver goes round the island in a clockwise direction.

In countries that drive on the right:

At the island, give way to traffic coming from your left.

The driver goes round the island in an anticlockwise direction.

Images for kids

The Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Jakarta, Indonesia
The United Kingdom's first roundabout (1909) in Letchworth Garden City
One famous roundabout is the Place Charles de Gaulle, Etoile, where 12 avenues come together, drawing a star, which explains the word "étoile", star in French. In the middle of the roundabout is the Arc de Triomphe.
A roundabout next to the Elovainio shopping center in Ylöjärvi, Finland
Roundabout at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, with modern art animals on the central island, and an apron that can be used by large trucks.
A fountain dominates this roundabout in Aix-en-Provence, France.
This roundabout in Shanghai, China, has a pedestrian bridge in the form of another, raised roundabout.
Traffic approaching Chiverton Cross roundabout in Cornwall, UK
Small modern roundabout in the United States, where vehicles are driven on the right
Roundabout in the United States with separated side lanes. Vehicles entering the roundabout give way to vehicles in the roundabout.
A typical trunk road roundabout in the UK at Carland Cross on the A30 in Cornwall, United Kingdom. There is a free-flow lane for the A30 towards Bodmin (nearest the camera).
A small roundabout in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
A mini-roundabout in the United Kingdom, where a painted white circle is used for the centre. The arrows show the direction of traffic flow.
Small roundabout in Kargilik, Xinjiang, China
A hybrid raindrop roundabout in Zagreb, Croatia, 45°48′33″N 15°59′55″E / 45.809296°N 15.998648°E / 45.809296; 15.998648. These two roundabouts are more akin to a "magic roundabout" since the left turns need not drive through both of them.
Motorway junction with roundabout near Opatovice nad Labem, Czech Republic
A major signal-controlled roundabout interchange in central Bristol, England. Vehicles drive on the left, and vehicles in the roundabout are stopped by traffic lights to allow other vehicles to enter, while an underpass permits straight-through traffic to bypass the roundabout entirely.
Dutch-style roundabout
Haymarket roundabout, Melbourne
The Main North Line railway bisects the State Highway 1/Main Street roundabout in Blenheim, New Zealand.
National Register of Historic Places plaque on the first traffic circle in the United States, at the intersection of River and Pleasant streets in Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C., 1922
Traffic ten abreast traverses the Place de l'Étoile. This traffic circle surrounds the Arc de Triomphe at the intersection of ten two-way and two one-way streets. It has no lane markings.
Roundabout, Haarlem, Netherlands, 1990. Cyclists may also be users of a roundabout.
Small roundabout in Barzio, Italy
Roundabout signs in Linköping, Sweden
Roundabout in Straßwalchen, Austria
Roundabout in the centre of Colombo, Sri Lanka
Double-lane Raindrop Fountain Roundabout in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where roundabouts replaced all traffic lights since 2011.
The Hovenring bicycle roundabout in the Netherlands is an innovative design, completely separating bicycles from vehicular traffic.
Pavement markings invite cyclists to enter sidewalk on approach to roundabout in Mesa, Arizona. Cyclists are still permitted to use the roundabout like any other vehicle.
Cyclists can choose to ride on the sidewalk on far right, or in the main lanes of this roundabout in Mesa, Arizona.
The Swindon Magic Roundabout
Throughabout road sign in the Netherlands 51°51′02″N 5°49′54″E / 51.850517°N 5.831576°E / 51.850517; 5.831576
Throughabout road sign in Australia 31°53′25″S 115°52′12″E / 31.8902952°S 115.8698988°E / -31.8902952; 115.8698988

Roundabout facts for kids

Images for kids

See also