Learn to yield: Fredericton drivers not using roundabouts properly

It's been over a year since the roundabout first opened its lanes to traffic. But the Smythe Street roundabout still creates angst for Fredericton drivers – and some city councillors.

"By far the biggest problem is drivers just will not yield," said Coun. Stephen Chase, who is also the chair of Fredericton's public safety committee.

Despite signage and information distributed by the city on how to use the roundabout when it first opened over a year ago, Chase said drivers don't seem to grasp the importance of yielding to vehicles inside the roundabout.

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Chase said drivers in the capital city need to educate themselves on how to use the roundabout, especially since more roundabouts are popping up across Atlantic Canada.

Chase said it's also risky to cut off traffic inside the roundabout and unsafe for drivers to enter when a vehicle is already inside.

"It is a basic rule, you yield," he said.

As a result, Chase told CBC's Information Morning Show, the Fredericton Police Force will start giving out more tickets along the roundabout in the upcoming year.

"People use roundabouts all over the world," he said. "I think New Brunswickers will rise to that."

Not an engineering issue

Chase said this isn't an engineering issue and the city has followed the latest roundabout design with the help of consultants from all across North America, describing the roundabout as a necessary piece of infrastructure within the capital city.

Chase said statistics as late as September, show there's about two accidents within the roundabout each month, none of which involve serious injuries.

"Two a month is not good but certainly when you consider that this is a major intersection, it carries a huge volume of traffic," he said. "To have two collisions a month that are valued over $1,000 in property damage, I think that's pretty good."