Indiana 49 Considers Roundabout – But Do They Lower Accident Rates?

As the Indiana Department of Transportation plans the reconstruction of Indiana 49 in Porter using new grant money, they are considering the addition of a roundabout as the new entrance to the Indiana Dunes as well as a reduction in the number of lanes between the new intersection on U.S. 12. Both changes are expected to make the roads safer for motorists, reduce the number of car accidents, and make the area conducive for recreationists.

Roundabouts as a safer alternative to traditional intersections

But do roundabouts and traffic circles truly make roads safer for drivers, and will the new Highway 49 roundabout reduce the number of Indiana car accidents? A number of studies in the United States find that roundabouts are indeed safer than traditional intersections; traffic circles record forty percent fewer traffic accidents, 80 percent fewer car accident injuries, and 90 percent fewer serious injuries.

Here are a few more advantages of roundabouts:

• Roundabouts reduce the number of head-on collisions, right turn collisions, and left turn collisions.
• Roundabouts reduce congestion and speed traffic.
• Roundabouts save gas.
• Roundabouts are safer for pedestrians, who only have to cross in front of traffic traveling in one direction.
• Roundabouts slow drivers down, making for low-impact collisions.

The disadvantages of roundabouts and traffic circles

While most traffic safety advocates agree that roundabouts are a better alternative to intersections, roundabouts do have downsides:

• Roundabouts require a larger area than traditional intersections, making it difficult to construct traffic circles in existing urban areas.
• Roundabouts have a high initial cost.
• Roundabouts are less safe when drivers are not aware of the rules of driving in a traffic circle.
• Roundabouts can be more dangerous for cyclists.

Have you been injured in an Indiana traffic accident in a roundabout? You may deserve compensation, either from another driver or from the entity that designed and approved of the traffic circle. To learn more about your case, contact the Indiana personal injury attorneys at Keller & Keller LLP today.

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