Acknowledging the fact that navigating roundabouts can be challenging for many on the road, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has launched a video that instructs drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians on how to use single and multi-lane roundabouts.

The video is available on the roundabout page of the department’s website or on PennDOT’s YouTube channel.

“Data shows that modern-day roundabouts reduce crash severity and injuries, while improving traffic flow,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “This video illustrates how to navigate these intersections regardless of how you travel.”

A modern roundabout is a type of circular intersection that flows continuously in a counterclockwise direction on lanes surrounding a central island. Entering traffic must yield to the circulating traffic.

Data for crash rates and severity for three years from before and three years after installation of the state’s first 10 modern roundabouts shows that both fatal crashes and major-injury crashes were significantly reduced. The total number of crashes also went down by 16 percent.

Now, the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council has put a priority on implementing roundabouts as alternatives to traditional intersections wherever possible. The state currently has 32 completed roundabouts, with 20 more under construction and at least another 10 expected to start construction in the next two years.