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The new Gateway High School is near the intersection of State Road 82 and Griffin Drive and can accommodate more than 2,000 students. NBC2 News reported on March 11, 2022, that drivers near Gateway High School in Fort Myers are cutting corners when in the roundabout. There is an accident potential that may injure students and others at this roundabout. The one-lane roundabout is supposed to be driven on the black asphalt, not the white concrete. About half a dozen drivers were already caught popping up on the curb to scoot past the traffic.

Gateway Services CDD said that part of the problem is congestion when students are being dropped off and picked up. Interim District Manager of Gateway Services CDD Lara LeRoy told NBC2 News, “We have been in communication with the high school to try and make things go a little more smoothly. We know it’s tight. We know it’s a problem.”

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) reports there are over 300 roundabouts on local roads throughout the state of Florida. FDOT designed tools and resources to help drivers, FDOT staff, and consultants work together in the development and use of roundabouts. Following are some of the questions people have raised to the FDOT regarding roundabouts:

What is the difference between a roundabout and a traffic circle?

• Traffic circles are much larger than a roundabout and often have stop signs or signals within the circular intersection. Roundabouts are smaller and vehicles must yield before entering. Roundabouts typically operate at relatively low speeds (25 MPH) while traffic circles allow higher speeds (> 25 MPH). Roundabouts restrict pedestrians from entering the central island while some traffic circles allow pedestrians to cross to and from the central island.

How do I drive in a single-lane roundabout?

• Reduce your speed to 10-15 mph as you approach the roundabout; be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians; look left for oncoming traffic (traffic moves counter-clockwise); yield to vehicles already in the roundabout, wait for a gap and enter; do not stop in the roundabout; do not pass other vehicles; use a turn signal to exit the roundabout to the right; yield to pedestrians crossing the exit lane; allow emergency vehicles to pass.

How do I drive in a multi-lane roundabout? 

• Follow signs and pavement markings to determine the lane(s) that will serve your destination; follow all tips listed for the single-lane roundabout.

How should drivers yield to emergency vehicles?

• If you have not entered the roundabout, pull over to the right and allow the emergency vehicle to pass. If you have already entered the roundabout, continue to the closest exit, and pull over once you are beyond the splitter island to allow the emergency vehicle to pass. Never stop in a roundabout.

Should I stop inside the roundabout to let someone in?

• You may slow down so the safe gap becomes more obvious to the driver wanting to enter the roundabout; however, you should not stop after crossing the yield line and are fully in the roundabout circle.

How are pedestrians accommodated?

• Pedestrians use marked crosswalks. All roundabouts have splitter islands that separate the approach and exit lanes. This splitter island is used as a pedestrian refuge for crosswalks requiring pedestrians to only cross a single direction of traffic at a time.

How are bicyclists accommodated?

• Bicyclists should be encouraged to both share the travel way with vehicles in a roundabout, or dismount and use the sidewalk and crosswalk system to navigate through the roundabout.

How will large trucks be accommodated?

• Roundabouts are designed to accommodate all the turning movements of a tractor-trailer rig. To accommodate the sweep of the trailer wheels as it makes its way through the roundabout, a truck apron is constructed around the inside of the circulating roadway. The apron is constructed of a different material or colored differently than the circulating roadway, to distinguish it and to make it clear that the truck apron is not something to be driven over by smaller vehicles.

“We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. represent people involved in numerous types of personal injury and wrongful death accidents throughout the state of Florida. All of our clients have unique personal injury cases. Our firm provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation. Should you or a loved one be injured in a roundabout accident, please contact me at 239.337.7483, or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or contact us online at SpiveyLaw, after seeking medical attention,” said Fort Myers Accident Attorney Randall Spivey. “There are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you, and we are available to assist you 24/7.”