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. Proceed to the appropriate 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. You are circulating in a roundabout and reach your street. What should you do?

   1. Exit without signaling so following drivers stay alert
   2. Stop inside the circle until all entering traffic clears
   3. Proceed to the appropriate exit, signal your intent, and exit
   4. Change direction and travel clockwise to the exit
   Show answer

   Proceed to the appropriate exit, signal your intent, and exit. Roundabout traffic travels counterclockwise around the raised center island. Yield to circulating traffic when entering. Proceed to the appropriate exit, signal your intent, and exit. Stopping inside the circle blocks vehicles already circulating. Circle travel is counterclockwise, never clockwise toward an exit. Exiting without a signal contradicts the instruction to signal your intent before leaving the circle. Yielding to circulating traffic happens on entry, before a driver circulates toward the chosen 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 2026-10-02.