Highway Code rule could see drivers hit with fines for roundabout blunder
If there is one thing that easily can be taken for granted, it's how big of a responsibility driving a car or other vehicle really is. Getting behind the wheel is, for many people, a daily habit, and something that they do so often that it can be easy to slip into some seriously bad habits without even realising it. Bad driving habits can not only put yourself and other road users in harms way, but also can lead to fines and other penalties for not following the rules of the road carefully enough.
Even if you think of yourself as a good driver - one who is conscientious and careful - few people are following the Highway Code down to the letter, with a new survey showing that many drivers are not fully aware of the proper rules regarding roundabouts in particular.
The study, conducted by Compare the Market, showed that shockingly nearly 6million drivers in the UK are vulnerable to getting fined when using roundabouts, simply because they don't understand the rules properly.
When approaching a roundabout, you must give way to the right, with the Highway Code stating that all drivers must "always give priority to the traffic coming from the right, unless you have been directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights," in rule 185. However, the survey showed that nearly 20% of UK drivers are failing to give way to their right at roundabouts, which can lead to a £50 fixed penalty notice.
Equally bad habits can be found in UK drivers when it comes to mini-roundabouts, with nearly two-thirds of drivers admitting that they will drive over a flat mini roundabout and 48% saying they would drive over a raised one while on their journeys. This means that over half of UK drivers aren't properly adhering to the Highway Code, which states that drivers must treat mini roundabouts in exactly the same manner they do large ones.
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Here's a refresher of the full rules from the Highway Code on how to approach mini roundabouts: "Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles must pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this. At double mini-roundabouts treat each roundabout separately and give way to traffic from the right."
Occasionally you'll come across a more complicated series of multiple roundabouts, when approaching these you must, "treat each mini-roundabout separately and follow the normal rules" states rule 190 of the Highway Code. Signalling at roundabouts was shown by the study to be another major gap in driver's knowledge with a quarter responding that they didn't know the proper time and manner to indicate when driving on a roundabout. Equally, over a million drivers admitted they don't signal at all when leaving a roundabout - something that can earn you up to nine penalty points on your licence.
No one wants to get fined because they weren't paying full attention, or didn't know the full scope of the rules, so it's best to go over the code fairly regularly - no matter how long you've been driving. It's also important to remember that while a £50 fine would be a headache to receive, it's still a better result than having a car accident, which could lead to injuries, damage to your vehicle, increased insurance costs and even in the worst case scenario fatalities.
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