Americans trying to use new roundabout in town for first time is terrifying to watch
Published
| Last updated
If you already get anxiety over the thought of entering a roundabout, then footage of Americans trying to use one for the first time is enough to make you want to give up driving altogether.
Allow me to start off by saying that in America, roundabouts are not unheard of. They do exist, they're just a lot less common than they are in the UK.
However, this video makes them look like the most complicated thing in the world:
Loading…
To be fair, roundabouts can be stressful, especially if you've got a lot of lanes to deal with. But rarely have I seen this much carnage on one small stretch of road.
The roundabout was installed over a junction in Rowan County, Kentucky, by authorities who probably didn't think it would end up going as badly as it did.
In the video, which was shot by Walker Construction, cars can be seen taking the wrong exits, or even sometimes heading completely the wrong way around the roundabout.
It's tough for a piece of machinery to look confused, but if you've watched the video, then you'll know what we mean.
Given the chaos the roundabout caused, it makes sense that drivers of the local area weren't happy about it, because they believe that the old four-way stop junction was doing the job perfectly.
To be fair, they probably had a point - especially if this how they planned to use the new junction.
This roundabout was the first to be installed in north-eastern Kentucky, after which a local called Jason Whisman told news outlet WYKT: "It's going to throw them for a loop. A complete 360. No doubt about it."
Another driver added: "I'm sure that it's going to take them a while to get used to it, but once they get used to it, I'm sure it's going to work very well."
Walker Construction explained that they only shared the video in the hope of educating people how not to use a roundabout.
It's certainly good for that.
According to KYTC, the roundabout was installed because they are proven to be safer than the other types of junction, particularly in areas that are busy and see a lot of traffic pass through each day.
A transport official told local news: "We're looking at a way to reduce the severity of crashes that this intersection has a history of."
According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, roundabouts cut down on crashes by 38 percent and fatal or incapacitating crashes by 90 percent, by significantly removing the chance of a head-on or T-bone collision.
They are also greener, as cars don't have to stop or start as much when using them
