Motorists in Kent, Washington, have probably experienced fear at some point in their lives that another driver was not going to be able to stop in time at a four-way intersection due to slippery roads or distraction and slam into the side of their vehicle. But with more U.S. cities installing roundabouts at intersections, drivers may not have to worry so much about this type of car accident happening.

Transportation officials have determined that roundabouts may be safer than traffic lights or stop signs. A roundabout forces traffic to travel slowly through an intersection. It doesn't rely on drivers paying attention to red and yellow lights or drivers having to know whose turn it is to continue through a four-way stop.

Transportation officials have been designing roundabouts for rural intersections, interstate off ramps and city streets around the country. The roundabouts give drivers a more efficient and safer way to maneuver through intersections -- particularly busy intersections that are more susceptible to causing a car accident. One expert in transportation safety said that normally there is a tradeoff between safety and efficiency but traffic roundabouts can provide both benefits to drivers.

Last month, about 11,000 transportation officials from around the world attended an annual conference with this year's discussions focusing on roundabouts and traffic safety. Researchers in Wisconsin who have been studying the safety and efficiency of roundabouts presented their findings at the conference to traffic engineers from all over the world. It is the hope that the engineers will consider implementing more roundabouts when planning intersections and replacing busy intersections that currently use stop lights or signs with roundabouts.

According to researchers, people are more likely to drive slower through roundabouts, which can help avert or minimize accidents. If there is an accident in a roundabout, it is less likely to be a fatal accident or an accident causing serious injuries because the speed of all vehicles in a roundabout is much slower. People have time to slow down and to react to a potential danger. Roundabouts also take away the possibility of a right-angle crash from occurring, which oftentimes result in extensive damage or injuries.

Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison News, "Roundabouts emerging as the ideal intersection between driver safety and efficiency," Renee Meiller, Feb. 1, 2012