Roundabouts have been a reality in Sequim since at least 2004.

However, close calls and collisions continue to be a regular occurrence in roundabouts along Sequim’s main drags of Washington Street and Sequim Avenue.

Chris Hugo, director of community development, says the purpose of a roundabout is to “serve traffic to continue moving without stopping.”

As for the basics of a roundabout, Sequim Police Chief Bill Dickinson said they always go counter-clockwise around the pivot point and the vehicle already in the circle has the right of way over any vehicle approaching the circle.

In Sequim, there are yield signs at each entry point to a roundabout, Dickinson said.

Hugo said drivers’ attention always should be to their left looking for other vehicles as they come around.

When going into a roundabout, Hugo said looking to your right is important too as pedestrians and cyclists may be entering the roundabout and other vehicles not yielding right of way.

Dickinson said drivers always should remain in the lane of travel because the raised inner circle is only to facilitate longer trucks with a wider-turning radius.

“It is really that simple but I hear many motorists trying to inject their own protocols, such as stopping to let someone in who is supposed to be yielding, and I think that is when confusion reigns in the circles,” Dickinson said.

Hugo said another courtesy is to “be situationally aware and communicating where you’re going.

“The right behavior is to signal when you’re going to exit,” he said.