- Kansas drivers may soon be required to signal in roundabouts.
- Some lawmakers were surprised this wasn’t already the law.
- The bill does not include a public education grace period.
Kansas lawmakers just discovered something surprising. Drivers aren’t technically required to use turn signals in roundabouts. It is the kind of oversight that hides in plain sight until someone bothers to read the fine print. Now, unlike their counterparts in Utah who are trying to roll back a similar rule, they want to fix it, and if they get their way, residents will not have an education grace period to get up to speed.
Brad Starnes, who proudly calls himself “the roundabout guy,” introduced Senate Bill 318, which would require drivers to signal when changing lanes or exiting a roundabout. Several legislators reportedly assumed this was already law. It’s not.
More: Utah Wants To Kill A Roundabout Rule Almost No One Knew Existed
Roundabouts often improve traffic flow, but two-lane versions can create real confusion for American drivers. According to the Kansas Reflector, some legislators are confused about how they work.
“I come in on the left-hand lane, closest to the center of the median of the roundabout, and I’m trying to make a right-hand turn off of that lane,” said Starnes. He wants to ensure that people in that situation use their signal to navigate out of the traffic control device.
Is This Just Common Sense?
Other lawmakers voiced their support for the bill. Leawood Republican Sen. Kellie Warren said, “If we could clear up some intent, I would think that would be helpful.” Committee chairman Olpe Republican Sen. Mike Argabright was largely indifferent, saying, “I don’t have any problem about the bill.”
Others, like Berryton Republican Sen. Rick Kloos, supported it despite not liking the roundabouts themselves. “As much as I hate them stupid things, I like the bill,” he said.
More: How One US City Uses Roundabouts To Fix Traffic, Cut Crashes And Save Taxpayers’ Money
At this stage, the bill still has to clear its initial hearing. If that happens, it would move to the Senate for a full debate and vote. That could be where the measure fails, but if not, it would go to the House for a similar process. If it becomes law as is, there’s no grace period for drivers to get used to the situation.
For now, blinkers remain optional in roundabouts for drivers in Kansas. To a degree, that makes sense considering how confusing they can be in a roundabout situation. Utah is currently trying to reverse this kind of law due to the confusion it adds to an already confusing space for many drivers.
