What are the traffic rules for roundabouts with traffic lights?
2 Answers
At roundabouts with traffic lights, the basic rule remains to stop at red and go at green. The difference is that right turns are permitted when the light is red, allowing right-turning vehicles to exit the intersection directly while ensuring pedestrian safety. Additionally, when the innermost lane of the roundabout has a red light, vehicles are allowed to continue driving along the inner circle. Below are specific details: 1. When driving in a roundabout, always pay attention to road conditions and yield appropriately. If you are unfamiliar with the roundabout, slow down, observe road signs, and don’t panic if you miss an exit—since a roundabout is circular, you can simply go around again to find your exit. Key yielding principles include: vehicles entering the roundabout yield to those exiting; vehicles outside the roundabout yield to those inside; turning vehicles yield to those going straight; following vehicles yield to leading ones; and smaller vehicles yield to larger ones. 2. Proper use of turn signals in a roundabout: Before entering, if you intend to merge into the left lane within the roundabout, use the left turn signal to alert other drivers. When exiting, signal right in advance, check for safety, and gradually move from the inner lane outward before exiting. If the roundabout has multiple lanes, use turn signals when changing lanes. In summary, when entering a roundabout to turn left, use the left turn signal; always use the right turn signal when exiting.
After driving for so many years, I've encountered roundabouts with traffic lights quite often. The rules are simple: when approaching, first check the entrance traffic light—stop absolutely at red, and only enter the roundabout on green. Once inside, follow the lane and pay attention to possible internal traffic lights indicating the direction of travel; proceed normally on green, but stop at a safe point on red. The key is to be mindful of yielding to other vehicles, especially at exits where you need to check if the signal turns red. Once, my negligence nearly caused an accident, so I’ve made it a habit to slow down and observe in advance. Don’t rush in daily driving—safety comes first, especially during peak hours when traffic light changes are frequent and mistakes are easy to make.
