What action should you take when encountering a roundabout?

When encountering a roundabout, yielding to traffic already in the roundabout is the correct action to take. This ensures that you allow vehicles that are already circulating the roundabout the right of way, promoting a smoother flow of traffic and reducing the risk of collisions. Roundabouts are designed to facilitate continuous movement and improve safety, so understanding the right-of-way rules is essential.

The principle behind yielding is to gauge the speed and distance of approaching vehicles, allowing you to enter the roundabout safely without disrupting the flow. By yielding, you help maintain the designated traffic pattern that roundabouts are meant to achieve.

In contrast, accelerating to merge quickly would disrupt the established flow of traffic and may lead to dangerous situations. Stopping completely while waiting for all vehicles to clear is not appropriate since it can create unnecessary delays and may conflict with the movement of other vehicles. Similarly, turning without yielding would disregard the right-of-way rules, increasing the risk of accidents within the roundabout. Understanding and applying the proper yielding behavior is key to driving safely in roundabouts.