Don’t confuse traffic circles with roundabouts

The Island’s roundabouts are clearly identified, as are the signs indicating that drivers must slow down on their approach and cede the right of way to drivers already in the roundabout, as well as to pedestrians and cyclists attempting to cross.

In order to clarify some points and to answer some of our readers’ questions, Le Magazine spoke with Josée Séguin, from Transport Quebec, who confirmed that two vehicles can circulate side by side in a roundabout, when space allows. This is indeed the case with the roundabout, at the Island’s entrance. In some roundabouts, outside of Quebec, there are even three lanes around the roundabout’s centre.

It’s not mandatory to use your flash to indicate that you’re exiting a roundabout. However, it’s not illegal to do so. Even with some people still worrying about roundabouts, the situation is much safer right now than it was when the Island’s entrance included a four-way intersection, with mandatory stop signs on each corner and one driver didn’t know what the other was going to do.

In Quebec, there are currently 18 roundabouts under the ministerial network and 17 under the municipal network. There are another 25 circular structures that don’t exactly fall under the title of roundabout. Roundabouts have been proven to reduce noise pollution and considerably decrease the chances of an accident.