Survey: More than 40% have had 'near miss' on roundabouts

Up to 45% of Irish motorists have been involved in a collision or near miss on a roundabout within the last three years, a survey by AA motor insurance can reveal.

Only 3% of these were actual collisions whereas 42% admitted to having a close call, the survey of more than 6,800 motorists has revealed.

This follows the results of an earlier AA motor insurance survey where drivers cited "lack of signaling on roundabouts" as one of the most common driver errors they regularly observe.

Of those who have been involved in an incident on roundabouts, AA motor insurance learned that 8% admitted to being at fault. A further 72% blamed the driver of another car.

Following this 7% said a van or truck driver was culpable and 3% attributed blame to a motorcyclist.

Pedestrians or cyclists were very rarely listed as the cause.

In the survey, 3% of women admitted to being involved in an actual roundabout collision compared with 2% of men.

On the other hand, men are far more likely to have had a close shave with 47% stating they were involved in a near collision. 35% of women said the same.

Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Policy, said: "Irish people seem to have a bit of a special relationship with roundabouts.

"Drivers are inexplicably lax when it comes to using their indicators which makes negotiating multi-lane roundabouts like the Walkinstown and Kinsale Road Roundabouts for example, both with three lanes, particularly daunting.

"This lack of indication often makes for a 'will he/won't he' type guessing game for those trying to enter roundabouts."

"Now that the mornings have started to get icy, drivers should be especially careful on these and other roundabouts as they are essentially like one continuous bend," said Faughnan.