We have seen a sudden up rise in the use of roundabouts in Mississippi over the past three years at Richard Schwartz and Associates. This method of traffic control has been implemented in many US states and other countries for several years, but is just now making its way to Jackson and the surrounding areas. These little circles can seem very confusing if someone does not know how to drive them, and sometimes the signs around them telling you what to do make it worse. Here are several tips to help you navigate through roundabouts.

· Cars traveling in the roundabout have the right of way. By law, if a vehicle is already traveling through a traffic circle, then those trying to enter must yield to them.

· Entering the roundabout is like a four way stop sign. Whoever stopped first enters the circle first. Watch carefully to see who enters and yield accordingly to avoid wrecks.

· Always enter a roundabout heading to the right. Traffic in circles travels to the right, not the left. Be very careful that you do not enter a roundabout heading in the wrong direction. If you need to make a left hand turn, circle the whole roundabout and exit on the correct street.

· Speeding through roundabouts is dangerous. The maximum speed in most roundabouts is 20 miles per hour. Going through one of these tight circles any faster could result in serious injury to you and others. Always take your time going through a roundabout, and yield to vehicles already in the circle.

There’s no reason to be intimidated by traffic circles. Knowing these simple rules of roundabouts from Richard Schwartz and Associates of Jackson, Mississippi can help you keep you and your family safe and can assist in avoiding car accidents.