Dual carriageway roundabouts
Introduction

Once you have been on the dual carriageway and started to build your speed to 50 and 60MPH, started to use 5th and 6th gear and have a good understanding of the Hazard and L.A.D.A routine's when overtaking slower moving vehicles and maybe been turning left on the dual carriageway roundabouts with little or no support from your instructor you will then move onto two lane roundabout and use the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th exits with busier traffic.
The problem with driving lessons in Grimsby is that the driving test centre is just off on one of the dual carriageway roundabout so you are guaranteed to be on the dual carriageway at some part of your driving test.  This brief is here for you to learn who you need to give way too and to know where the vehicle's are going in certain lanes this will hopefully help you plan to know where the vehicles ahead and right (of you) with their road positioning.

Teaching Strategy

On this lesson your instructor will reduce their instruction on topics previously covered and give you as much support on this lesson using the M.S.P.S.G.L & L.A.D.A. routine's on the approach to one and two lane roundabouts.  You will be working out the timing of gaps, who you need to give way to on the roundabout, improving lanes discipline and the correct lane needed on roundabouts for the correct direction. These routine's will be broke down to help you develop your skill to organise and negotiate gaps when approaching different types of roundabout. 

Lesson aims

The aim of today’s lesson is to incorporate the hazard & L.A.D.A routine's on the approach to two lane roundabouts and then develop onto faster (A180) more complex roundabouts.  The main teaching point will be learning how to take early observations to ensure you approach the roundabout in the correct lane, correct speed, gear while working out the timing of gaps in the traffic, judging the speed, distance of approaching traffic to your right and in particular to determine the size of gap necessary to join the traffic streams without impeding the progress of other road users (plan to go, not to stop). 

Objectives

Your objective will to be as independent as possible on your general drive. You will receive as much help as needed on the new topic brief and by the end of your lesson be able to negotiate different types of roundabouts, using early observations to see if the roundabout is open or closed, work on the timing of gaps in the traffic and improve your lane position and effective use of your hazard/L.A.D.A routines (with little or no help from your instructor). 
Subject brief

Two/three lane roundabouts are a lot more complex, faster and busier at certain times of the day. For example from 07.00 when people are going to work, when parents are taking their children to school and picking them up from school and work, lorry drivers picking up and dropping of their cargo and many more reasons.

Question
Who do we give-way to at a roundabout? The person on your immediate right. Not forgetting the person from ahead and the left hand side if they are in your danger zone. 

Early observations

In the diagram below you can see the highlighted area so if you Look, Assess, Decide & Act and plan early you will know if you are approaching an open or a closed roundabout and know the business of the roundabout you are approaching.

By planning early you will be able to see if you have any approaching vehicles coming from ahead (12 o'clock) and if they are going straight ahead they will slow down the vehicles on your immediate right.

Open roundabout

Closed roundabout

Giving way to your immediate right


On a previous roundabout brief it discussed three different zones (red) zone 1, (amber) zone 2 and (green) zone 3).  Each zone is ether two white hazard warning lines or two average car lengths.

In the below diagram I've highlighted area's, as you approach a roundabout and the vehicle that is on the right or even ahead is further back from you from the roundabout it will probably safe to continue.

Approaching 6 lines away (Green zone)

Approaching 4 lines away

(Amber zone)

Approaching 0/2 lines away

(Red zone)

Forward planning


With the correct forward planning and the appropriate speed you will meet the requirements that meets the driving test criteria on the approach to roundabouts. 

Below is the DL25 on roundabouts and the main faults.

You were marked on:

  • approach speed - your ability to approach junctions at an appropriate speed
  • observation - your effective observation and judgement of your surroundings
  • turning right - your position when turning right
  • turning left - your position when turning left
  • cutting corners - your ability to avoid cutting corners when turning

You needed to show you can drive through junctions safely. You should have observed your surroundings, made your intentions clear, followed road signs and signals, and properly controlled the car.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

  • incorrectly judging the speed of an oncoming vehicle, forcing it to slow down when emerging from a junction
  • not checking for other road users when emerging from a slip road, onto a dual carriageway
  • being positioned too far to the left when turning right onto a minor road, holding up vehicles behind you
  • approaching a junction too fast, making it difficult to make observations

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:
check rules 170 to 190 of The Highway Code
read section 8 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising and improving this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
using the mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM) routine
using the position - speed - look (PSL) routine to improve your manoeuvres
approaching and emerging at a variety of different junctions
Approaching speed and lane discipline

The main dangers on a roundabout are driver error with the wrong speed and incorrect lane discipline.

Appropriate speed

When exiting the side roads of a dual carriage way is no different than any other roundabout but the main danger is with the vehicles from your right off the dual carriageway as at time the roundabout is very open and the driver could approach the roundabout over 20MPH. The only safe way to exit the side estate roads (on a town roundabout) is to be at 10/15mph (on an open roundabout) and under 10mph (on a closed junction). Be mindful of SPEED V DISTANCE when emerging ask yourself "have you a safe gap to emerge"? a vehicle travelling at 20/30MPH will catch a vehicle emerging at 10/15MPH. "If in doubt slow and flow".

Lane position

Not keeping lane discipline is a serious error on your driving test, so your objective is to keep in the correct lane as your going straight ahead at any roundabout.

Remedy for keeping positioning at two lane roundabout

Best way to keep on the outside lane and keeping a good positioning is following the curve of the lane. As you can see with the two below pictures not keeping in lane will potentially cause an accident if you drift into the inside lane (lane TWO).

Below is more information on lane positioning on the DL25 marking sheet.

You were marked on:

  • normal driving - your position of the car when driving such as not driving too close to the pavement or lines
  • lane discipline - your ability to maintain your position within the lane

You needed to show you can keep your car correctly positioned on the road, staying within the correct lane, without driving too close to the lines.

Examples of faults

Some of the most common faults for this area include:

  • driving too close to the pavement, putting pedestrians at risk
  • driving too close to the centre of the road, putting other road users at risk
  • driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason
  • straddling lanes causing issues for other road users

Your examiner may have explained the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area

If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:

  • identifying lane markings on the road
  • changing lanes using mirrors - signal - manoeuvre (MSM)

Colour of signs


Dual carriageways, roundabout and traffic light signs represent your location


  • White is non primary
  • Green is primary
  • Blue is motorway
White information signs are in town area’s 30mph unless signs dictate otherwise 
Green information signs will be above 30mph normally 50mph+
Blue Information signs are on motorway. 

Always ensure you follow road marking and signs when you’re on your driving lesson.
Once you have passed your driving test as you are on probation for two years once you have passed your driving test and you can easily lose it if you get 6 or more penalty points.  

Ensure you understand penalty points.
New driver penalty points

Information on a roundabout sign


Always remember you always approach from the 6 o'clock position.


As you can see:-

  • 8 o'clock is sign posted West Marsh Industrial Estate.
  • 10 o'clock is sign posted Birchin Way Industrial Estate.
  • 12 o'clock is sign posted Immingham, Humber Bridge M180 & A180, but there is a difference it the direction is to the Motorway the back ground is in blue, this is informing you are going to a direction of a primary route.
  • 2 o'clock it’s showing the directions for Commercial Dock West & Moody Lane Industries.

Observations on the approach


Unfortunately some drivers approach roundabouts as though they were approaching a give-way or stop line and only take observations at the last minute. Consequently vehicles behind may end up running into the back of them as they wouldn’t expect them to stop if the way was clear.

Therefore don’t make this mistake and do not assume that the vehicle in front will proceed even if the way is clear. 

Keep observing ahead and to the right (minimum of three times) and also know how close the vehicle is behind you. Nobody knows how skilful the driver is in front of you so always maintain your 2 second safety gap and when stationary tyre and tarmac from the vehicle in front off you.

Tyre's and tarmac.

Turning right onto a dual carriageway


Throughout the 20+ years of teaching ensuring leaving in the correct lane has always been an issue when leaving a roundabout and joining a dual carriageway or motorway as it a scary process turning right at a roundabout and swapping lanes from lane 1 to lane 2. As a rule of thumb a LEARNER driver needs to have the confident to leaves to the left lane.


Why? The left lane is classed as the slower lane, an example if you was entering a dual carriageway and the road speed was changing from 30MPH to 60 or 70MPH and you have gone in to the right lane (lane 2) on the dual carriageway and have not not build your speed up to the road speed and vehicle behind you was approaching you faster than you are travelling and decides to undertake you.

This becomes a driver error on both part, A it is an illegal in this situation to undertake and B it is classed on a driving test a lane position error (you would also fail your practical test). Yes you are both at fault but the root cause of the error is that you are in the wrong lane holding up traffic and the inpatient driver that is aiming to undertake you should just wait behind you until you have fixed the lane position error.

Awareness and planning

As you are getting to the roundabout sign and getting closer to the roundabout you intend to entre look ahead as early as possible to to gain as much information on how busy the roundabout is ahead.  Start your hazard routine at the roundabout sign start to gain more information from the right (3 o'clock) and to the left (9 o'clock) too see how busy the roundabout is.  If you have vehicles coming from ahead and they are going straight ahead these will potentially slow down or even stop the vehicles on your immediate right.  Also if ahead is clear and you have vehicles on your right but they are indicating left (into the road you are leaving) it should be safe to merge onto the roundabout.  The strategy is for you to slow and flow and if possible is to merge into gaps. 

** But please note: never believe a vehicles is going the way it intends to go as it could change its intension and aim to go past you, Keep your eye on the vehicle until you have safely negotiated the roundabout**

Strategy


Remember to always indicate correctly to keep the flow of traffic going on and off a roundabout. A late signal will mislead traffic wanting to enter the roundabout.


On this section of the lesson brief we are going to breaks down leaving from Estate road 1 (the Grimsby test centre roundabout) and walk you though how to incorporate  the hazard routine correctly on each direction.

Lets look at the use of the M.S.M routine from leaving the Grimsby test centre:-


We are coming from Estate road 1 and explain how to work the the hazard and L.A.DA routines going to each exit.  As already explained treat the roundabout like a clock face.  Our exit is at 6 o'clock, the pyewipe is at 7 o'clock, A180/Cleethorpes is at 10 o'clock, Ind estate 2, 5,6,7 & 8 is at 2 o'clock and lastly the M180/Immingham and Humber bridge is at 4 o'clock. We say unless road marking or road signs dictate other wise any exit that is before 12 o'clock you will need the left lane and any thing past 12 o'clock you will need the outside lane.

The Yellow vehicle is taking the 1st exit so they start the M.S.M routine at the roundabout sign:-

At the roundabout sign

  • Mirrors left & Signal left (at the roundabout sign) & keep left lane Position

2/4 lines from the give-way line

  • Speed to 10/12 mph and 2nd Gear

L.A.D.A

  • proceed when safe

The Grey learner vehicle is taking the 2nd exit sign posted A180 & Docks. Start part of the M & S routine at the roundabout sign then at the island of the 1st exit (Moody lane) M.S.P.S.G:-

At the roundabout sign:-

  • Mirrors  at the roundabout sign & keep left lane Position 

2/4 lines from the give-way line

  • Speed to 10/12 mph & Gear down to 2nd

L.A.D.A

  • proceed when safe

As you are passing the 1st exit 

  • Mirrors left
  • Signal left & leave the roundabout

The Pink vehicle is taking the 3rd exit sign posted Est road 2,3,4,5.  Start part of the M & S routine at the roundabout sign then at the island of the 2st exit (A180/Docks) M.S.P.S.G:-

At the roundabout sign:-

  • Mirrors, Signal & Position right lane at

the roundabout sign

2/4 lines from the give-way line

  • Speed to 10/12 mph & 2nd Gear

L.A.D.A

  • proceed when safe

As you are passing the 2nd exit sign posted A180 docks

  • Mirrors & Signal left to leave the roundabout, Changing position from lane 2 to lane 1

The Red vehicle is taking the 4th exit sign posted M180/Immingham & Humber bridge.  Start part of the M & S routine at the roundabout sign then at the island of the 3rd exit (A180/Docks) M.S.P.S.G to leave:-

At the roundabout sign:-

  • Mirrors, Signal & Position right lane at

the roundabout sign

2/4 lines from the give-way line

  • Speed to 10/12 mph & 2nd Gear

L.A.D.A

  • proceed when safe

As you are passing the 3rd exit sign posted Est 2,3,4,5,6,7

  • Mirrors & Signal left to leave the roundabout, Changing position from lane 2 to lane 1 & follow the sign for M180

As you are learning its vital to leave to the left (slow) lane unless it is unsafe to do so.  If you leave to the right lane (fast lane) and then you get undertaken as your going to slow in the fast lane its classed as dangerous so always aim for the left to leave (learner leaves to the left).

Agree your next lesson

learning techniques and strategies

Practice achieving and improving the timing of the M.S.P.S.G & L.A.D.A routine's at basic T junctions while improving your awareness and planning with the two second gap, the holding back position, overtaking, adequate clearance when overtaking stationary & slow moving vehicles.

Once you have practiced a few situations a few times your instructor will reduce his/her support transferring his responsibility over to you (that's if you agree with this).

Lesson Planning

  • Agree learning goals and needs of todays lesson
  • Agree appropriate lesson structure (full, partially or independent level of instruction)
  • Practice in a suitable training area

Agreed if needed to adapt the lesson plan to help the pupil work towards their new learning goals if any verbal or physical intervention was made by the instructor

Risk Management

Fully understood how the responsibility for risk of the lesson would be shared on the lesson plan between instructor and student.

  • Directional instructions will be given in ADI format (Alert, direction and identify manor) given to the pupil clear and given in good time
  • Agree if the students made a minor, serious or dangerous error on your lesson it will be broken down using F.I.S.H (fault, implications, solution & help) this method of feedback helps pupils understand what fault is being made and how to strategies on how correct the faults.

Teaching & Learning Strategies

Like mentioned earlier every student is induvial and each and everyone of you will progress at different rates so driving will adapt their lesson plan to help you achieve your driving goals.

Your driving instructor will adapt their teaching style to suite your ability and ability

Your driving instructor will continue to encourage you on your lesson and analyse any problems made and allow you to take responsibility for your own learning goals by giving you technical information to improve your techniques. Your technical feed back from your instructor will be ether given on the move or if feel needed by pulling you up on the side of the road somewhere safe, legal and convenient.

Rote learning (WikipediA)

Rote learning is a memorization technique based on repetition. The method rests on the premise that the recall of repeated material becomes faster the more one repeats it. Some of the alternatives to rote learning include meaningful learning, associative learning, spaced repetition and active learning.

At the end of your lesson 

At the end of each lesson you will have a debrief with your instructor giving you the opportunity to reflect on your performance on your lesson then you can set up new goals for your next driving lesson.

This will also give you the opportunity to research any new topics that will be brought into on your next agreed lesson.