Why Michigan’s Roundabouts Top Crash Lists While Europe Nails Safer Driving
Michigan’s 2024 crash data signals a strange quirk when it comes to roundabouts. Five of the state’s 20 most dangerous intersections are roundabouts, with the second, third, and sixth most crash-prone spots all circles. For example, the roundabout at 18½ Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in Sterling Heights reported 162 crashes, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, Michigan overall recorded 1,099 traffic fatalities in 2024, with a steady climb in crashes despite safety advances. These numbers paint a picture of frustrating underperformance for a design touted globally for safety and efficiency.
Contrast this with Europe, where roundabouts are a familiar fixture and crash rates are significantly lower. Countries such as the UK and the Netherlands have ingrained roundabouts into driver education and road culture. Research shows European roundabouts reduce severe collisions by up to 75 percent compared to traditional intersections. Drivers approach them confidently, reading yield lines and merging smoothly, minimizing stop-and-go moments. The result? Even with a higher density of roundabouts, Europe experiences fewer injuries and fatalities per capita than U.S. states like Michigan.
So why this divide? At root is driver familiarity and education. Michigan drivers and many across the U.S. often encounter roundabouts infrequently. Learning by trial on busy roads leads to confusion: last-second lane changes, hesitation in yielding, and dangerous weaving. Complicated layouts like the one at Sterling Heights, where freeway ramps intersect the circle, exacerbate this challenge. Unlike Europe’s decades of roundabout integration, the U.S. is still learning the rhythm.
Infrastructure and enforcement play roles too. European cities often retrofit with consistent designs featuring clear signage and pedestrian protections. American intersections sometimes marry roundabouts with awkward freeway connections or shopping center access, raising complexity beyond the circle itself. Moreover, few U.S. states include roundabouts in driver training or licensing tests, leaving drivers unprepared. European licensing commonly demands demonstrated competence at roundabouts before a full license is granted.
Despite Michigan topping total crashes, severity remains lower than in traditional intersections. No fatalities were recorded at hazardous circles in 2024, reflecting roundabouts’ design to reduce high-speed T-bone crashes. This advantage, however, is blunted if drivers freeze or make poor split-second decisions because of confusion or impatience.
The Europeans proved roundabouts work; Michigan and the U.S. must catch up!