Carmel Roundabouts Have Greatly Reduced Injury Accidents at Intersections

Carmel, Indiana is well known for consistently showing up on lists of best places to live in small town America, but over the last decade, Carmel has also become internationally known for its expansive network of roundabouts. The main reason Carmel gravitated toward replacing traffic signals and stop signs with roundabouts is for safety purposes. Unlike traditional traffic signals, roundabouts require drivers to reduce their speed when approaching the intersection therefore reducing the likelihood of a collision. Should a collision occur, the severity of the collision and the risk of personal injury are greatly reduced due to the lack of head-on and right angle collisions. In fact, Carmel reports that the number of injury accidents has been reduced by about 80 percent, and the number of overall accidents has been reduced by approximately 40 percent.

On Monday, March 6, a proposed ordinance to further enhance the safety of roundabouts was submitted to the Carmel City Council. The ordinance would require drivers to use their turn signal when exiting the roundabout. Drivers not signaling their exit could face a $100 fine if the ordinance is enacted. In addition to promoting public safety, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said the use of turn signals would increase the efficiency of the roundabouts. The ordinance was sent to the Finance, Utilities, and Rules Committee for further analysis.

Read more about roundabout procedures and safety here:

http://www.carmel.in.gov/index.aspx?page=123