Most Dangerous Roundabouts In Michigan

[FET-500]

BTW, any roundabout in West Bloomfield Twp. automatically belongs on the list.

I'm hard pressed to think of a place where the drivers are more discourteous!!!

Note that many have "friendship circle" stickers on their cars. The friendship circle, appears to be an association for bad drivers.

[fuzzpower]

I had to work in West Bloomfield for a time years ago. Orchard Lake Road was an adventure every day, with near collisions due to abysmal drivers. They either go 20 or 60 with nothing in between, and as mentioned no turn signals whatsoever. I can’t imagine them handling roundabouts.

[kc8yqq]

Back when I had my F-350 extended cab dually, these roundabouts were not an issue...

[ScottRAB]

What are the most dangerous roundabouts in Michigan?

https://www.michiganautolaw.com/blog/20 ... igan-2018/

There are already so many accidents on many roundabouts that they are putting traffic lights on the roundabouts. The whole idea was supposed to be to eliminate traffic lights. Part of the problem is the cars are like toys that blow apart when they collide. There is now no such thing as a fender bender. Little accidents cost thousands of dollars to repair.

This is click bait. If you fell for it, remember that total crashes are not relevant to safety. What is relevant is how many people have been injured or killed compared to how many people used the intersection. Fatal and severe injury crash rate.

People using the road make mistakes (like running stop signs and red lights), always have and always will. Crashes will always be with us, but they need not result in fatalities or serious injury.

Modern roundabouts are the safest form of intersection in the world - the intersection type with the lowest risk of fatal or serious injury crashes - (much more so than comparable signals). Modern roundabouts require a change in speed and alter the geometry of one of the most dangerous parts of the system - intersections.

The reduction in speed to about 20 mph and sideswipe geometry mean that, when a crash does happen at a modern roundabout, you might need a tow truck, rarely an ambulance. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts.

Modern Roundabouts are one of several proven road safety features (FHWA).
The life saved may be your own.
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencount ... undabouts/
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersectio ... undabouts/
Early minor crashes decrease over time:
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/safety ... tudy-shows
https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2180
https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190 ... ning-curve

[ScottRAB]

Same here. The old MSU roundabouts seemed larger in diameter than most built today. There was a little more road space for at least moderate daily traffic (sporting events were another matter). The lights were a much-needed improvement, although much caution is still necessary as I've encountered many on bicycles and skateboards who don't understand that traffic lights and stop signs aren't just for motor vehicles.

And, well, don't get me started on the dang Bird scooters....

Many people confuse other and older styles of circular intersections with modern roundabouts. High speed, east coast rotaries, large multi-lane traffic circles (Arc D’Triomphe, Dupont Circle), and small neighborhood traffic circles are not modern roundabouts and UK 'roundabouts' are not the same as US 'roundabouts'. The Brits even call a merry-go-round a kid’s roundabout.
What is, and is not, a modern roundabout:
FHWA: http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/ltc_09/pdf/Doctor,%20Mark.pdf
UMass video: https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/articl ... nter-video
WA DOT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsCoI7lERGE
NJ traffic circles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_t ... New_Jersey
NJ wins award for building roundabout:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-release ... 56007.html

[ScottRAB]

The intersection of Hamilton & Marsh Roads in Okemos was converted from a light to a roundabout several years ago. Not a good thing to navigate during rush hour.

The thing that confuses me most about roundabouts are the lane designations. In some cases the outer-lane is designated right-turn-only at the next exit point. Other times you can take the right lane to the exit point you want. Sometimes it's tough to interpret the signs quickly while still concentrating on traffic. You pretty much have to be a local to know what's what.

MSU took out a bunch of on-campus roundabouts years ago and converted heavy-traffic intersections to full lights. Smart move given the amount of pedestrian and bike-lane traffic during the school year. I think M-Dot likes the roundabouts just because it makes for fewer lights they have to service. I think the trend should be the opposite given the erratic habits of many drivers today.

the lane use thing you are describing is exactly the same as is done at signals.

[ScottRAB]

I wonder who profits most from these. Big Roundabout? Insurance companies from rising rates?

You would think they would have tested it more before building so many. The only place they seem to work well is in new residential areas where they replace four way stops. Except they can't really be retrofitted for older subs. The less the traffic flow, the better.

You seem to be confusing neighborhood traffic circles with modern roundabouts. Insurance companies don't benefit from less safe intersections, BTW.

Insurance Companies like Modern Roundabouts (they reduce claims payouts):
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/round ... icoverview

AAA: http://seniordriving.aaa.com/improve-yo ... undabouts/
See near the bottom of page 3: https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/up ... ighway.pdf
AARP: http://www.aarp.org/livable-communities ... bouts.html
http://www.sehinc.com/sites/default/fil ... heet-v.pdf
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communitie ... tions.html
http://blog.aarp.org/2014/06/16/great-p ... undabouts/
http://www.pawhuskajournalcapital.com/n ... rapping-up
Allstate: https://blog.allstate.com/safer-or-just ... undabouts/
Esurance: http://blog.esurance.com/why-we-should- ... undabouts/
Geico: https://www.geico.com/more/driving/auto ... oundabout/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaaY7XAau14

ICBC web page: https://www.icbc.com/road-safety/drivin ... about.aspx

[ScottRAB]

The reason they use them is that it (supposedly) reduces fatal or severe accidents. Non-fatal and non-severe accidents do increase quite significantly though. The idea is that vehicles hit at oblique angles and not head on or at right angles.

Your statements about fender benders is false.. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts.

Modern Roundabouts are one of several proven road safety features (FHWA).
The life saved may be your own.
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencount ... undabouts/
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersectio ... undabouts/
Early minor crashes decrease over time:
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/safety ... tudy-shows
https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2180
https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190 ... ning-curve

[ScottRAB]

Well then, put traffic lights up too, and that will reduce side collisions.

The actual data proves you wrong. . Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts.

Modern Roundabouts are one of several proven road safety features (FHWA).
The life saved may be your own.
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencount ... undabouts/
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersectio ... undabouts/
Early minor crashes decrease over time:
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/safety ... tudy-shows
https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2180
https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190 ... ning-curve

[fuzzpower]

Someone loves their roundabouts to post six responses in a row. Me, I take any government data with a grain of salt. From my experiences, roundabouts are worse than a signalized intersection, and even worse than a four way stop in some cases.

[Ben Zonia]

Someone loves their roundabouts to post six responses in a row. Me, I take any government data with a grain of salt. From my experiences, roundabouts are worse than a signalized intersection, and even worse than a four way stop in some cases.

I think he must represent Big Roundabout. Wonder what he thinks of red light cameras. If he likes both, that would tell us a lot.

[audiophile]

Bump N' Runs are safe too!

[km1125]

Someone loves their roundabouts to post six responses in a row. Me, I take any government data with a grain of salt. From my experiences, roundabouts are worse than a signalized intersection, and even worse than a four way stop in some cases.

Maybe the RAB in ScottRAB stands for 'Round-A-Bout'?

[TC Talks]

Now... This is a roundabout..

[km1125]

I was thinking that looked like Pontiac Trail/Milford/Grand River, but I don't think there's train tracks going through the middle of that one!

Where is that?