1. Approach the roundabout at a safe speed. 10-15mph over the last 2-3 car lengths will leave you with plenty of time for observations. A driving examiner would accept this as an appropriate speed.
2. Observe early. Consider the activity around the roundabout as early as you can see it. This will help you to assess the speed and position of approaching traffic.
3. Be careful not to make a decision to go too soon. If you decide too early that it’s safe to go, the situation might completely change by the time you enter the roundabout. This could cause a crash. You should decide in the last 1-2 car lengths before the give way line whether you will go or not.
4. Remember, it’s a driver’s responsibility to enter and exit the roundabout without disrupting the flow of priority traffic coming from your right. Disrupting in this case means making any other driver having to brake or change direction. This means you might have to set off quickly to fit into a smaller gap.
5. Make sure you are capable of setting off quickly. This will give you the confidence to set off when it’s time to and avoid hesitation. The key to setting off quickly is good use of gas and biting point.
6. Keep it simple. If you divide the roundabout in to quarters, it’s the segment to your right as you enter that carries the biggest threat. Therefore, if there is any moving traffic approaching in that area, don’t go!
7. Avoid using other driver’s indicators as the deciding factor of setting off or not. Other drivers might not signal correctly, or at all. Use a combination of speed, position and the indicators of other drivers to help you decide.