Traffic Circle Rules Edmonton Drivers Need to Know

Circles and roundabouts in Edmonton

The traffic circle rules Edmonton drivers follow come from Alberta's Driver's Guide. The City of Edmonton explains them the same way. According to the City, Edmonton has over 25 roundabouts and five traffic circles. Many new drivers find them stressful at first.

The two look alike but are built differently.

• Roundabouts have a smaller centre island and tighter curves, which keep speeds low. Some have a sloped curb so large trucks can get through.
• Traffic circles tend to be larger. They can have stop signs or traffic lights.

The basic rules are the same for both. Traffic always moves counterclockwise around the centre island. Drivers entering must yield to traffic already in the circle.

The rules for every circle

These traffic circle rules Edmonton drivers learn first apply whether the circle has one lane or two.

1. Slow down as you approach. Read the signs and the arrows painted on the road. They tell you which lane matches your exit.
2. Watch the crosswalks. Scan for people walking and cycling at the entrance and at the exits.
3. Yield to traffic in the circle. Look left, and enter only when there is a safe gap.
4. Stay in your lane. Do not change lanes inside the circle.
5. Keep moving. Once you are in, hold a safe, steady speed.
6. Signal right to exit. Wait until you pass the exit before yours, then turn on your right signal. Turn it off once you are out.

That timing matters. A right signal given too early tells drivers waiting to enter that you are leaving, when you are not.

Choosing your lane in a two-lane circle

In a one-lane circle, there is no lane to choose. Yield as you enter, then signal right as you get ready to exit.

In a two-lane circle, most confusion starts before the circle, when a driver picks the wrong lane. The Driver's Guide sets out two simple choices.

Taking the first exit

• Approach in the right (outside) lane.
• Turn on your right signal as you approach, and leave it on until you have exited.
• Yield to traffic in the circle, then enter when it is safe.
• Exit using the right lane.

Going past the first exit

• Approach in the left (inside) lane.
• Use your left signal as you approach, to show you are not taking the first exit.
• Yield to traffic in the circle, then enter and stay in the left lane.
• Signal right after you pass the exit before yours.
• Check the right lane for drivers who may be continuing around.
• Exit using the left lane, and watch for people at the crosswalk.

The City of Edmonton puts it simply for newcomers. Take the first exit from the outside lane, and use the inside lane to drive past two or more exits. Where lane arrows are painted, follow them.

Who has the right of way inside

This rule is easy to mix up. The City of Edmonton says the car in the inside lane has the right of way in a traffic circle. Cars in the outside lane must yield to cars in the inside lane.

The Driver's Guide says the same thing another way. While in the circle, drivers on the right yield to drivers on the left. So when an inside-lane driver signals to leave, expect them to cross your lane, and let them go.

If you are in the inside lane and cannot exit safely, do not force it. Stay in your lane and go around the circle again. It costs you a few seconds, not a collision.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Stopping inside the circle when traffic is moving. Drivers behind you do not expect it.
• Changing lanes halfway around. Choose your lane before you enter.
• Signalling right at the entrance when you plan to go past the first exit.
• Leaving the signal on after you have exited.
• Forgetting the crosswalks at the exits, where people may be waiting to cross.
• Missing the look to your right before leaving from the inside lane. A quick shoulder check shows you what the mirror misses.

Practise before test day

A road test checks how you choose lanes for turns and decide right-of-way at intersections. Failing to yield the right-of-way at an intersection or during a lane change is an automatic fail. Circles test both at once, so it pays to practise the traffic circle rules Edmonton learners need.

Traffic circles are part of what our lessons cover, along with lane changes and city driving. Lessons in Edmonton are one-on-one with a certified instructor, in our car. If circles are the one thing that worries you, a Brush-Up gives you time to practise them, by the hour or in one 2-hour session. You get feedback during each lesson, and a 5-minute break is allowed.

A simple home exercise helps too. Sketch a two-lane circle on paper, then trace your lane, your signals and your yields for each exit.