UK's three most dangerous and confusing roundabouts for drivers

14 April 2024 , 15:52

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Hammersmith Flyover in London took the top spot with 287 recorded incidents (Image: Google Maps)

A new poll has revealed the UK's three most dangerous and confusing roundabouts for drivers..

The motoring islands can be awkward to navigate even for experienced drivers. Some of the roundabouts which drivers encounter also have confusing lane layouts and road signs. This is added to the busy traffic flow and crawling vehicles which frustrate drivers more.

The tally of bumps or crashes has an average number of nearly 40 per roundabout. MotorEasy looked at 482 UK roundabouts in the UK and 18,900 incidents were recorded on CrashMap between 2010 to 2020. Its aim was to find out the worst roundabouts n the country for accidents. The best and worst roundabouts were complied - including the top three most confusing and challenging found in the UK.

Redbridge Roundabout in London had 284 recorded incidents in the analysis (Google Maps)

1. Hammersmith Flyover

This roundabout had the dubious honour of taking the top spot. The busy interchange beneath Hammersmith Flyover recorded 287 incidents. The London junction connects roads including the A4 and A219 and has the Hammersmith London Underground station in the centre.

2. Redbridge Roundabout

The capital's Redbridge Roundabout, meanwhile, recorded 284 incidents which earned it a second place in the dangerous and confusing junctions chart,. The interchange brings together the A12 and A406 in Ilford, east London.

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3. The Crooked Billet

Taking the third spot was The Crooked Billet interchange in East London’s Waltham Forest Borough. It connects the A406, A112 and B179 and had 252 recorded accidents. Greater London had 14 of the worst roundabouts and was the "worst region" for accidents at roundabouts. The area has some of the busiest roads in the UK with more than 3 million registered vehicles. Its sheer volume of motorists led to nearly 5.4 thousand accidents happening between2 010 to 2020 with more than a quarter of all incidents.

The Crooked Billet roundabout interchange in east London had 252 recorded accidents (Google Maps)

The Mirror previously reported an update of the Highway Code was introduced in 2022 and then a study revealed that seven of the 10 most dangerous roundabouts in the UK are in Greater London. The study analysed crashes reported at 482 roundabouts across the UK between 2010 and 2020 using CrashMap data. It looked into the locations of 18,900 incidents reported

While some are trickier to tackle than others, the Highway Code features several pointers on using roundabouts safely. In the recent rule update, drivers have now been instructed to give priority to cyclists on roundabouts for the first time ever. The changes included giving pedestrians' right of way, where cyclists should position themselves on the road, and guidance about giving way to more vulnerable users on roundabouts. The study analysed crashes reported at 482 roundabouts across the UK between 2010 and 2020 using the data.

Graeme Murray