Coloradoans May Be Required to Yield to Larger Vehicles in Roundabouts.
Many Americans are surprised when they see videos of roundabouts in Europe with cars zipping through the circular features in the road with little effort. However, it is fair to say that Americans are not as skilled at using roundabouts as their European counterparts.
The difference could be a lack of knowledge of how to drive in roundabouts since they are not as common in the U.S. as in some other countries. Whatever the case may be, roundabouts are something that motorists either seem to love or hate.
On one hand, many agree that when used correctly roundabouts ease the flow of traffic on busy intersections better than traffic signals or stop signs do. But others would rather see them go away – whether it has to do with not wanting to accept change or other factors.
But whether residents like it or not, roundabouts are here and they will continue to be part of driving on Colorado roadways. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) website, there currently are about 140 roundabouts on Colorado highways that have replaced the traditional signed or signalized intersection.
A bill introduced this year would change how motorists drive through roundabouts in the state. If passed, HB23-1014 would require drivers in smaller vehicles to yield to larger vehicles when in a roundabout.
History of Roundabouts in Colorado
According to an article published by the Colorado Sun, the state was one of the first to adopt roundabouts back in the 1990s even though they had been in use in the country for over a century. Cities like Golden and Vail have proved that they can work, but the addition of roundabouts in the towns was still met with opposition from residents.
“There’s always apprehension in communities that don’t have them, that haven’t had experience with them,” traffic consultant Alex Ariniello told the Colorado Sun. “We found that people just didn’t understand them or weren’t familiar with them. ‘Why are you forcing this on us? Why not a traffic signal?’ That was the typical reaction we’d get.”
Decades later, more roundabouts have entered the state marking a trend that will likely continue. According to CDOT, roundabouts are statistically safer than intersections with traffic signals.
CDOT reports that roundabouts lead to a 35 percent reduction in all accidents, a 78 percent reduction in fatal and injury accidents, and an 89 percent reduction in accident-related pedestrian injuries. The state’s Department of Transportation also reported that there have been no fatal accidents in roundabouts in the last five years in CDOT’s northwestern region.
Why Should the Law Pass?
If the bill passes, drivers would have to yield the right of way to a vehicle that has a total length of more than 40 feet or a total width of more than 10 feet when entering, exiting, or driving in the circulatory lanes in a roundabout. Currently, there is no law that mandates that people have to yield and let a large truck take up both lanes of a roundabout. The new law would attempt to prevent accidents where a truck takes up more than one lane in a roundabout and another vehicle does not yield but stays in the lane next to the truck.
When two large vehicles drive through a roundabout, the new law would require that the driver on the right yield the right of way to the driver on the left. “A person who fails to yield commits a class A traffic infraction and is subject to a fine of $70 and an $11 surcharge,” the bill states.
According to one of the bill’s sponsors, Democrat State Representative Andrew Boesenecker out of Larimer County, the bill was introduced due to concerns raised by the Colorado Motor Carriers Association.
“We heard from interested stakeholders while the legislature was not in session and Colorado Motor Carriers brought forward concerns about how navigating multi-lane roundabouts is very challenging for larger vehicles,” Boesenecker said. “Due to some of the safety concerns around that, they asked us to take action through legislation to address some of those concerns.”
The state lawmaker said that the proposed bill is aimed at preventing car accidents involving large vehicles and roundabouts in the future. “My reason for sponsoring the bill is really a proactive safety measure,” the representative explained. “We would like to think that common sense prevails in a lot of these situations, but it is a measure of accountability and protection to be able to make sure that a roundabout doesn’t get shut down or God forbid somebody gets hurt or worse as a result of an incident in these roundabouts.”
Boesenecker also said that other states have enacted similar laws. According to Land Line, states like Indiana, Washington, and Wisconsin have all passed laws in recent years to address concerns about how to maneuver through roundabouts when large trucks are present. There is also a bill similar to Colorado’s HB23-1014 making its way through the state legislative process in Arizona.
The Bill Has Seen Little Opposition So Far
Thus far, the bill has seen little to no opposition as it makes its way through the legislative process. But, some could say that a new law is not needed since there have not been statistics introduced showing a large number of, or an increase, in accidents related to large trucks driving through roundabouts. More traffic laws could mean more work for a depleted law enforcement sector, and many could argue that it is not necessary unless there is valid evidence showing an increase in these types of accidents.
Nevertheless, the bill has done well with lawmakers since it was introduced to the state House of Representatives on Jan. 9 when it was assigned to the House Committee on Transportation, Housing & Local Government. The bill then went to the House floor at the beginning of February where it passed after some of the language was amended.
On Feb. 8, the bill was introduced to the State Senate where it was assigned to the Transportation & Energy Committee. On Feb. 22, it was approved by the committee and it was sent to the State Senate floor for debate.
In mid-March, the bill was passed in both the State House and Senate and sent to the governor’s desk. Then on March 23, the governor signed the bill into law and it will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2023.
