The Subaru Impreza for sale here in Australia is a well appointed saloon car with a sure fitted all wheel drive system that provides legendary grip. This is extremely useful on our roads for negotiating junctions and roundabouts. However, many drivers simply forget how to use a roundabout a few years after they get their driving licence. Giving way at the wrong time on a roundabout could cost you points, and a fine let’s take a closer look at this issue in more detail.
Navigating Roundabouts
Navigating a multi-lane roundabout can be challenging, who has right of way when merging? It’s likely that most drivers will automatically give way to the traffic on their right and this will earn you a tick in any state or territory in Australia. The preconceived notion that every driver is required by law to give way to traffic on the right is incorrect.
Using Roundabouts
Our roundabouts are traffic devices that were introduced to replace cumbersome intersections. They are designed to reduce the chances of a head on collision and to keep the traffic flowing through busier intersections and junctions. When a driver enters a roundabout, they must give way to any vehicle (this includes bikes) currently on the roundabout and any light rail or tram like vehicles that are approaching the roundabout.
It is true that in many cases this will mean that the driver is giving way to vehicles on the right. However, a vehicle could have entered the roundabout from the left and ahead of the driver. In this case, the driver will have to give way to that vehicle in order to avoid a collision on the roundabout.
Many drivers are also confused about changing lanes whilst negotiating a roundabout. The rules here are the same as changing lanes and overtaking on the road. The line markings are there to help; a multi-lane roundabout will often have painted direction arrows ahead of each junction as the initial point of reference. If the roundabout has solid road markings, the driver is locked into that lane until they exit the roundabout. As an example: a left lane on a two lane roundabout may have a left turn arrow incorporated into a straight arrow, and this would mean you have a choice to go straight on or take the next left exit.
Leaving the Roundabout
When you leave the roundabout indicating your intentions is common sense, and it will help other drivers to make more informed decisions. However, the driver should make sure that their indicator is turned off as soon as they have successfully exited the roundabout. If the driver is negotiating a smaller single-lane roundabout, it can be impracticable to indicate left when they are exiting the roundabout. Indicating when leaving a roundabout is not a legal requirement, but it can help the flow of traffic on busier roundabouts and the driving behaviour related to indicating can vary depending on the state and territory.
If you’re looking to buy a Subaru Impreza in Perth, contact Perth City Subaru for a no obligation test drive.