The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that fatalities, injuries and crashes decreased overall at 26 roundabouts at 23 locations in the time since they were built, according to department data.
“The modern roundabout is simply safer than the traditional intersection,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Though not the right option for every intersection, data shows that when installed, roundabouts save lives and reduce crash severity.”
PennDOT recently reviewed data for 26 roundabouts on state routes at intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled. These roundabouts were selected based on having at least three years of crash data available before and after the roundabouts were built. Department data based on police-submitted crash reports spanning the years 2000 through 2020 shows that fatalities at these locations were reduced by 100 percent and the total number of crashes decreased by 22 percent. Additionally:
– Suspected serious injuries were reduced by 81 percent
– Suspected minor injuries were reduced by 36 percent
– Possible/unknown severity injuries were reduced by 76 percent
– Property damage-only crashes increased by 13 percent
Included in the review was Route 2043 (Trevose Road) and Somerton Road, opened in 2012; and Route 213 (Bridgetown Pike/Maple Avenue) and Route 2010 (Bridgetown Pike), opened in 2016.
