Ways to avoid traffic crashes at roundabouts

A number of motorists do not know the right way to drive at a roundabout, which results in accidents. PHOTO | EDGAR BATTE

About two weeks ago, a commercial truck whose driver was heading to Nakawa from the city centre rammed into a Toyota Passo heading to Old Port Bell Road at the Wampewo roundabout in Kampala.

The Toyota Passo’s front bumper was knocked off and part of the driver’s side smashed, while the truck still looked intact because it had a raised and strong front guard or bull bar.

Since the accident took place next to a makeshift police station at the roundabout, it did not take long for the police to arrive at the scene. Not even the intervention of two traffic personnel could determine who of the two motorists was in the wrong.

It took approximately one hour for the two motorists to reach an agreement. And the Toyota Passo had to be towed away because it could not be driven in that condition. The scuffle resulted in wasted time not just for the two motorists but for numerous other road users using the four-way intersection.
According to Godwin Arinaitwe Kayangwe, a motorist, most road crashes at roundabouts are caused by poor communication and poor road user behaviour amongst motorists. “I have seen motorists approach roundabouts when using phones. They are not paying attention to which lane they are in and leave it too late to indicate to other road users which direction they intend to turn.

It is even a miracle that given the level of negligence displayed by drivers, we have fewer accidents,” Arinaitwe says.

Ronnie William Kyazze, the Head of Programmes at Towards Zero East Africa (TZEA) (a non-profit organization that advocates for road safety our countries is to have a ‘Safe System’ where there are zero serious injuries or deaths on our roads) says very many motorists do not know the purpose or how roundabouts work.

Roundabouts are intended to reduce motorist speeds at intersections so that vehicles avoid head-on and direct front collisions because everyone is moving in the same direction.

“In reality, I have seen motorists speed while approaching the roundabout which is dangerous to other road users. Any hesitation, absent mindedness or carelessness at a roundabout is wrong and can easily cause a crash leading to death or severe damage,” Kyazze observes.

How to use a roundabout
Charles Ssebambulidde, the Spokesperson of the Traffic Directorate blames distracted drivers for most accidents at roundabouts. “When a motorist uses the wrong lane at a roundabout, they confuse other road users.

This inevitably leads to a road crash. For instance, if there are two lanes or a dual carriage way leading to a roundabout, for example from the city centre approaching Wampewo roundabout along Jinja Road or from Wandegeya towards Kalerwe roundabout along Gayaza Road, the motorist on the extreme right side of the pavement or road island is meant to, after observing that there is no oncoming vehicle, approach the roundabout first,” says Ssebambulidde.

He advises that in a situation where the road has no provision for two lanes, the motorist should be patient until the others ahead have joined the roundabout first and then follow without creating a second illegal lane.

If there is a heavy goods vehicle, give way and be patient until it has left the roundabout because they occupy a lot of space and take time to brake, to avoid roundabout crashes.

Even with no heavy goods vehicles at the roundabout, Kyazze advises that it is still courteous and safer to give way to other non-commercial goods vehicle motorists already in the roundabout to prevent crashes.
Peter Tibigambwa, the Chief Executive Officer of Safeway Right Way Uganda says misunderstanding of certain roundabout rules such as never stopping at the roundabout unless you are being accommodative to traffic ahead often times lead to crashes.

“The driver, motorcyclist or pedestrian on the edge of the roundabout always has the right of way. Some motorists are aware of this and just decide to inconsiderably and forcefully refuse to give way and end up causing collisions that could have been avoided,” Tibigambwa says.
While you ought to be patient and considerate while approaching a roundabout, Tibigambwa advises that it takes the same measures when exiting by remembering to indicate in advance to where you are driving. Some road users have a tendency of turning without indicating. There are also motorists who indicate to the left when they are turning right and vice versa.
The 2018 World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety says that more people now die as a result of road traffic injuries than from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and diarrhoeal diseases.

Responsibility
With an average rate of 27.5 deaths per 100,000 population, the report says the risk is more than three times higher in low income countries such as Uganda than in high income countries where the average rate is 8.3 deaths per 100,000 population.

The burden of road traffic deaths is disproportionately high among low and middle income countries in relation to the size of their population and the number of vehicles in circulation.

Therefore, to bring an end to road crash deaths, fatalities or injuries, it takes a shared responsibility from every motorist. It all starts with a change in road user behaviour.