Roundabouts, metered ramps and funeral processions

Key points

1. Roundabout traffic moves counterclockwise.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “Roundabouts are a safer and more efficient traffic flow option. Traffic moves counterclockwise.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 39

2. Slow down, yield to pedestrians and bicycles, then yield to traffic on your left already in the roundabout.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “Slow down Yield to pedestrians and bicycles Yield to traffic on your left that is already in the roundabout Yield to semitrucks”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 39

3. If there is no traffic in the roundabout, you do not need to wait. Do not switch lanes inside.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “If there is no traffic in the roundabout, you do not need to wait to enter. Do not switch lanes while you are in the roundabout.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 39

4. When emergency vehicles with sirens on enter a roundabout, yield to them. If you have not entered yet, pull over and let them pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “When emergency vehicles, with their sirens on, enter a roundabout you need to yield to them. If you have not entered the roundabout, pull over and allow emergency vehicles to pass.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 39

5. At a metered ramp, pull completely up to the white stop line so your tires trigger the sensors.

   Source: Handbook p. 41

   “You should pull completely up to the white stop line so your tires will trigger the sensors in the pavement.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 41

6. Disobeying a ramp signal can get you a ticket.

   Source: Handbook p. 41

   “When your signal turns green you may go and merge with traffic. If you disobey a ramp signal, you can be ticketed.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 41

7. Funeral procession vehicles have headlights on. Do not cut into or interfere with the line.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “Vehicles in the line must have their headlights on. Do not cut into the line or interfere with the funeral line.”
   Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Handbook p. 43

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Wisconsin practice test

1. 1. You are about to enter a Wisconsin roundabout and traffic is already circulating. What must you do before entering?

   1. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the right
   2. Stop in the circle and wait for a signal
   3. Enter before the circulating vehicles
   4. Yield to traffic already in the roundabout
   Show answer

   Yield to traffic already in the roundabout. Traffic already moving through the roundabout has priority over a driver who has not entered. The handbook specifically directs an approaching driver to yield to traffic on the left that is already in the roundabout, then enter when a safe gap appears. Stopping inside the circle is not the intended procedure, and entering first or watching only the right side reverses the priority. Slow down at the approach, look left, and wait for space. That sequence helps preserve the counterclockwise flow and avoids forcing circulating traffic to brake.

2. 2. You are already driving in a roundabout when an emergency vehicle with its siren on enters. What should you do?

   1. Safely exit at the next right, then pull over
   2. Stop right where you are inside the roundabout
   3. Speed up and keep circling until it passes
   4. Pull over next to the center island and wait
   Show answer

   Safely exit at the next right, then pull over. When an emergency vehicle with its siren on enters a roundabout, Wisconsin says you need to yield to it. What you do depends on where you are. If you have not entered yet, pull over and let it pass. If you are already in the roundabout, safely exit at the next right, then pull over. The handbook tells drivers to avoid stopping in the roundabout, so stopping in the circle or beside the center island is not the answer. Circling until it passes does not yield either.

3. 3. In a Wisconsin funeral procession, what must the first vehicle in the line do?

   1. Follow traffic signs and signals
   2. Drive through red lights so the line stays together
   3. Use flashing hazard lights instead of headlights
   4. Stop at every intersection, even on a green light
   Show answer

   Follow traffic signs and signals. A funeral procession travels from a funeral home or a place of worship to a cemetery or a crematorium. Wisconsin says the first vehicle in the line must follow traffic signs and signals. Leading a procession does not give that driver permission to go through a red light or ignore a stop sign, and stopping at every green light is not required. The handbook also says vehicles in the line must have their headlights on. Other drivers have their own duty: do not cut into the line or interfere with the funeral line.

Source: the Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, Section 6: Driving Situations. 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.