149 ACCIDENTS AT ROUNDABOUTS IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF CURRENT YEAR

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 6 /SRNA/ – A total of 149 traffic accidents occurred at roundabout intersections across Republika Srpska during the first five months of the year, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior /MoI/ told SRNA.

The largest number of accidents, 127 in total, occurred within the jurisdiction of the Banja Luka Police Administration. When it comes to Banja Luka, the highest number of accidents occurred at the intersection of the main road with Marije Dimić Street and Ivana Gorana Kovačića Street, the Ministry stated. The MoI recalled that the basic rules for driving through roundabouts under the Law on Basics of Road Traffic Safety stipulate that vehicles already circulating within the roundabout have the right of way, while drivers entering the roundabout must adjust their speed and, if necessary, stop. "Traffic moves in a counterclockwise direction. When exiting the roundabout, drivers are required to activate the right turn signal, while stopping suddenly within the roundabout is prohibited except when necessary," the MoI noted. Drivers are also required to yield to pedestrians at marked pedestrian crossings after exiting a roundabout. According to the basic lane-changing rules in roundabouts, the right lane is used for the first and second exits, while the left lane is used for later exits or for continuing around the roundabout. "Changing from the left lane to the right lane must be done in a timely manner and without endangering vehicles already in the right lane, while a vehicle in the right lane has priority if it continues moving through the roundabout. If it is not possible to change lanes safely and exit, the driver should complete another circuit and then attempt to exit safely," the MoI advised. The Ministry also emphasized that the BiH Law on Basics of Road Traffic Safety does not regulate in detail specific rules for driving through roundabouts, so general right-of-way and lane-changing regulations are applied.