Roundabouts and traffic circles

Key points

1. Traffic moves counterclockwise around a raised center island, and entering traffic yields to circulating traffic.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Vehicles travel counterclockwise around a raised center island, with entering traffic yielding the right of way to circulating traffic.”
   Kentucky Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

2. Slow down to enter a roundabout or traffic circle.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Slow down to enter the roundabout or traffic circle.”
   Kentucky Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

3. Yield to the traffic already in the roundabout.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Yield to the traffic in the roundabout/circle.”
   Kentucky Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

4. Enter in a counterclockwise direction.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Enter a roundabout or traffic circle in a counterclockwise direction.”
   Kentucky Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

5. Go to the right exit, signal your intent, and exit.

   Source: Handbook p. 44

   “Proceed to the appropriate exit, signal intent, and exit.”
   Kentucky Driver Manual, Handbook p. 44

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Kentucky practice test

1. 1. Who has priority when a driver enters a Kentucky roundabout?

   1. The vehicle that accelerates first
   2. Traffic entering from the right
   3. The largest vehicle
   4. Traffic already circulating
   Show answer

   Traffic already circulating. Entering traffic must yield to vehicles already circulating around the roundabout. The entering driver's side, vehicle size, or acceleration does not change that ordering. Slow before entry, check the circulating lane, and wait for a safe gap. Once inside, travel counterclockwise and signal the intended exit. Treat the raised center island and the circular lane as a continuous flow, not as an ordinary intersection where an entering vehicle can claim priority by arriving first.

2. 2. Before entering a Kentucky roundabout, which direction should traffic move around the center island?

   1. Straight across the island
   2. Clockwise
   3. Counterclockwise
   4. In whichever direction the first vehicle chooses
   Show answer

   Counterclockwise. Kentucky directs drivers to enter a roundabout in a counterclockwise direction. Clockwise travel would oppose the designed circulation, and vehicles do not cross the raised center island or choose a direction independently. Reduce speed, yield to traffic already in the circle, select the appropriate exit, signal intent, and then leave the circle. The strongest visual cue is the raised center island: follow the circulating roadway around it counterclockwise rather than cutting across the middle.

3. 3. What must entering traffic do at a Kentucky roundabout?

   1. Enter first because circulating traffic must yield
   2. Claim the center by stopping inside the circle
   3. Yield to vehicles already circulating
   4. Travel clockwise around the center island
   Show answer

   Yield to vehicles already circulating. At a roundabout, vehicles already circulating have priority over vehicles approaching the entrance. Entering traffic should slow down, yield to the traffic in the circle, travel counterclockwise, and proceed to the appropriate exit. Stopping in the circle obstructs the flow, and entering first reverses the required yielding relationship. Clockwise travel is also contrary to the design. Reduce speed before the entry, identify a safe gap, yield, then maintain the counterclockwise path until signaling for the selected exit.

Source: the Kentucky Driver Manual, Section Seven: General Driving. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.