the possibilities of head-on collisions and left turn-related crashes are virtually eliminated
intended to slow drivers to speeds where crashes are far less severe.
I've definitely heard that they're safer, but this just seems to indicate that the crashes aren't as bad. Are there also fewer crashes?
Although some studies point to roundabouts causing higher numbers of minor crashes ― a point which WisDOT recognizes in its manual ― Qin said, in terms of injury severity, roundabouts are considerably safer.
Oh... ok. Not dying is a perk, but I'm sure everyone will be super stoked to be in more accidents that are right around the cost of their insurance deductible.
It often feels harder to drive defensively in a roundabout (especially multi-lane roundabouts) when I need to look over my left shoulder to make sure it's clear to merge while also looking to my right to make sure that the guy in the lane next to me or the other guy getting on at the next entrance know to yield to me. In a traditional intersection, all "conflict points" that the article mentions are in front of you as you enter the intersection.