DO you know your way around roundabouts?
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A retired Albury policeman, who recently had a family member involved in a roundabout smash, believes many drivers don’t know the rules.
Don Hamilton, a veteran of 25 years in highway patrol, said most people mistakenly believed they had to give way to their right on roundabouts.
“So many accidents occur at intersections with roundabouts because of the misunderstanding of the law,” Mr Hamilton said.
“The first car that crosses the line enters the roundabout and any other vehicle must then give way.
“And most people don’t understand that.”
Sen-Constable Phil Jones, of the Wodonga highway patrol, confirmed that the first vehicle to cross into the roundabout has right of way.
“Drivers need to understand whoever gets their nose into the intersection first has right of way,” he said.
“So if there’s already a car going around the roundabout give way to them.”
He said there was confusion about the road rule.
Mr Hamilton said the uncertainty may stem from the old “give way to the right” mentality.
“It goes back to the days where at cross intersections you had to wait and you always had to give way to your right,” Mr Hamilton said.
“It doesn’t apply at roundabouts.”
A family member of Mr Hamilton who was driving on Elgin Boulevard roundabout near Hume Street was involved in a collision with another vehicle resulting in $3000 damage but could not prove they had entered first.
“Police refused to do anything because they couldn’t determine who entered the roundabout first,” Mr Hamilton said.
“As far as a police investigation is concerned it’s extremely difficult to prove who moved first.”
