5 Tips for Safely Navigating Roundabouts in Temple Hills, MD

If you live in Temple Hills, MD, you’re aware that at some point, you’re going to have to drive through that roundabout that you’ve been able to avoid until now. The good news is, they’re really not as scary as they look. They were actually designed to make everyone safer, you included. We’ve included 5 tips to help you navigate through roundabouts so that the next time you encounter one, you can drive into it with complete confidence.

1. Know the Traffic Flow

A roundabout is designed to flow counterclockwise. When you enter, always look to your left, but know in advance that you’ll always be driving towards the right. This can help you watch for other vehicles, watch for your exit, and avoid a collision.

2. Ignore Your GPS

When driving through a roundabout, you may want to ignore your GPS temporarily. Once you know which exit you’re looking for, you want to focus on finding that exit on the road, not listening to your GPS. It may tell you to take the exit before you arrive, and you may end up going in the wrong direction.

Since the typical roundabout is small, all you need to do is pay attention, look for your exit, and then turn your GPS back on once you’re out. This will save you time and help you stay on the right track so you can get to your destination quickly as possible.

3. Choose Your Lane and Stay There

Once inside a roundabout, you cannot change lanes, so once you enter, make sure you choose your lane wisely. This is a small circle, so changing lanes while inside can prove to be more than hazardous. Getting in the correct lane will help you reach your destination effortlessly.

4. Don’t Pass

Even if someone in front of you has no idea what they’re doing, don’t attempt to pass. The safest way to get through a roundabout is to go slowly, stay in your lane, and most importantly, avoid passing other vehicles at all costs. With a constant flow of traffic, even though it is slow, passing while inside a roundabout can cause a collision that could affect you and multiple drivers.

5. Use Your Signal

Make sure that when you’re exiting and entering a roundabout, you use your signal. It’s important that you let the other drivers around you know where you’re planning to turn so that you don’t get rear-ended and so that the traffic flow can continue to move smoothly. The benefit of a roundabout is that it helps eliminate congestion and allows you to keep going while in an intersection setting without having to stop at a red light.

Stop by Our Kia Dealership in Temple Hills for a New Kia

Once you make it through that roundabout, you can head over to our showroom and reward yourself with a new Kia car. We’ll get you into a car that will help make every part of driving enjoyable. We have a vehicle for everyone that will meet every item on your list. Visit us today at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills to view all of our different vehicles, test drive your favorite, and choose which one you want to take back home with you.

Tags: Roundabout Driving Tips, Roundabouts in Maryland
Posted in Safe Driving Tips, Temple Hills Kia Dealer, Tips for Driving Around Roundabouts | No Comments »