According to data gathered by the United States Department of Transportation, roundabouts result in fewer fatalities and serious injuries at rural intersections. At one particular location in North Carolina where a pregnant woman died in 2011, DOT replaced stop signs with a roundabout in order to improve safety. While this type of traffic control does not decrease the number of overall accidents, it does reduce their severity significantly.
Roundabouts, which are made up of artificial islands that vehicles have to drive around rather than through, improve the safety at intersections because drivers are forced to slow down to navigate them. Stop signs and traffic lights are only a signal to slow and stop while roundabouts present an actual physical barrier. Roundabouts also eliminate the guessing game many drivers play where they can see if they can get through an intersection before a light turns red.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is changing many intersections in the state to roundabouts as part of the Vision Zero initiative. This program coordinates efforts between law enforcement, emergency responders, educators and traffic engineers to improve safety on both rural and urban roadways. There are many dangerous roads and intersections that remain throughout the state, so there is a lot of work to be done.
Victims of car crashes at dangerous intersections or other locations may be able to get compensation for their suffering with help from an attorney. During an initial consultation, the attorney will evaluate the circumstances of an accident to see if there is a party at fault who can be held accountable. In some situations, an attorney will only charge a fee for their services if they are able to successfully obtain compensation for their client.