Walloon drivers are generally unfamiliar with the specific rules governing priority at roundabouts, also known as traffic circles. This is what the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR) warns about.
In Wallonia, about 140 accidents involving deaths and injuries occur each year at traffic circles. Cyclists and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable in this situation because they often end up in a car’s blind spot.
Average score of 6/10
AWSR surveyed 1,000 Walloon motorists about their knowledge of the Highway Code regarding traffic circles. “With an average score of 6/10, the results are mixed,” the organization commented on the results.
A quarter of those surveyed mistakenly believe that the use of direction indicators is mandatory when entering a traffic circle. However, these should only be used when exiting the traffic circle, a rule known to 95 of respondents.
Moreover, only one in 10 knows that you can choose your lane at a traffic circle, although AWSR points out the logical rule that the vehicle must be in the outer lane to exit the traffic circle. But wait, logical rule? 18% of the Walloons think it is possible to exit the traffic circle via the inside lane.
To be clear: Once you are in the traffic circle, stay in the through lane and indicate direction when you want to leave the traffic circle. If you move from the inner to the outer lane, you do lose your right of way, a rule about one in five Walloons (19%) are not familiar with.
One in five motorists also thinks it is possible to enter a traffic circle when there is already a vehicle in the outside lane. “However, the rule is very clear,” AWSR reminds drivers. “Users who are in the traffic circle have priority over those who want to enter it.”
Taking blind spots into account
In Wallonia, about 140 accidents involving deaths and injuries occur every year on traffic circles. Cyclists and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable and are more likely to end up in the blind spot of other vehicles, especially when leaving the traffic circle. They account for more than 37% of the victims of this type of incident.
If there is no cycle path installed on the traffic circle, it is best for cyclists to ride in the middle of the lane on the traffic circle, making them more visible. AWSR also recommends that motorists look over their shoulder before changing lanes or leaving the traffic circle to check for cyclists or other vulnerable road users in their blind spot.
