NO matter how long you've been driving, some roundabouts can be tricky.
While mini-roundabouts can infuriate other road users, most drivers are unaware of the rules of approaching these obstacles.
Can I get fined for driving over a mini-roundabout?
It may come as a surprise to many, but driving over a mini-roundabout is illegal as they must be treated as an island in the road.
Any road user caught doing so can be prosecuted and fined.
The law states that drivers of vehicles that are able to manoeuvre around the central island can be punished if they drive across it.
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This applies to flat, painted mini-roundabouts as well as raised ones.
However, the law does make allowances for vehicles that are "physically incapable" of getting around the central island, such as vans and lorries.
As well as this, it is also an offence to ignore traffic signs so failing to comply with signs by driving over a mini-roundabout could land you in even more trouble.
A fixed penalty notice will be between £50 and £300 depending on the severity and can sometimes carry penalty points, although driving over a mini-roundabout is usually not seen as a severe offence.
The Highway Code section 188 calls for caution as there is less room to move around mini-roundabouts and less time to signal.
Who has priority at a mini-roundabout?
Just like with a normal roundabout, priority is given to vehicles on your right.
This is always the case unless signs, road markings or traffic lights direct you to do something else.
Sometimes, road markings will allow you to proceed without giving way, but you should still always look to your right first just in case.
Whilst driving, look for traffic crossings in front of you, junctions to the left and right that may help you identify a mini-roundabout.
Mini roundabout road markings are either a painted circle or a white circular hump with three clockwise directional arrows around the inner circle.
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What are the rules for mini-roundabouts?
The rules for mini-roundabouts are the same as normal roundabouts.
However, when driving around mini-roundabouts there is less room to manoeuvre so extra care must be taken.
The Highway Code states that when approaching a roundabout you should use the mirror-signal-manoeuvre process and adjust your speed depending on the traffic around you.
When taking the first exit, you should signal left just as you would with a regular roundabout.
It is important to watch out for pedestrians crossing the approach and exit roads as endangering pedestrians is a serious offence.
Something worth noting is that a change in the law also states that under Highway Code rule 186 that priority is also to be given to cyclists in such situations.
Due to the locations of mini-roundabouts, they have a greater chance of being located at closed junctions.
A closed or blind junction is where very little can be seen of approaching traffic.
If you are faced with a double mini-roundabout, or a set of mini-roundabouts, you should treat each roundabout separately and continue to give way to traffic coming from your right for each.
The Highway Code also says if you have to enter a roundabout without giving way, “still look to the right before joining, watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout.
“Be aware they may not be signalling correctly, or at all, and look forward before moving off to make sure traffic in front has moved off,” they add.
Avoid if at all possible to make U-turns on mini-roundabouts.
As they are so small, this manoeuvre is considered highly dangerous.
