DRIVING ON A ROUNDABOUT

Stop only if you have to give way: look ahead, creep to the hold line, and completely stop as soon as the hold line has disappeared under the hood (i.e. within 1 meter);

if you do not have to give way, do not stop.

“Give Way at Roundabout” sign is of the same shape, as the “Give Way” sign, and hold line at its entrance is the same as the “Give Way” line, and their prescription is identical: slow down and be prepared to stop if you may present obstruction to others.

Provided that you do not have to give way, you should not stop; moreover if you stop when you could go you risk to fail the driving test.

If you have to stop, stop as soon as the hold line has disappeared under the hood, and remain stationary until the way is clear (do not creep).

On a single-lane roundabout move bearing to the central island.

Do not get into psychological trap of bearing to the left side of the road as you do in any left-hand drive road, as moving along the outer border of the road makes the manoeuvre awkward, and increases risk of collision with waiting cars.

On the other hand, take care not to mount the central island.

If you plan to continue straight ahead, exiting steer into the second lane.

On a multi-lane roundabout do not change lanes, and exit it in the same lane as you enter.

This is explicitly required in NSW (“Road Users’ Handbook” p.67), SA (“The Driver’s Handbook” p.67, 68), VIC (Ref.#12 p.46) and WA (Ref.#14 section 3.11.3, p.64, 65).

Though ARR (r.117), as well as Australian Capital Territory, Tasmanian and Queensland road rules (Ref.#2  p.47; Ref.#10 p.37; Ref.#7 p.115) do not prohibit changing lanes inside a multi-lane roundabout, it is risky, and additional signalling needed to change lanes is misleading to other drivers.

Changing lanes while exiting a multi-lane roundabout incurs high risk of collision with other cars.

Lightly press the lower third of the accelerator pedal, and accelerate to the allowed speed.

You significantly reduce speed on the roundabout, so remember to accelerate as soon as you have exited to facilitate traffic.