Part of the key to developing the right driving skills to be able to successfully deal with these junctions is being able to identify them early while on the road, getting the approach right, and then using the correct procedure to give way, spot gaps in traffic and make progress as necessary.
Mini roundabouts
The mini roundabout is a common junction in the UK, and as a learner driver, it won't be long after you've started driving lessons that you'll have to deal with them intially with full talk through help from your instructor, and later fully on your own, so your first task is being able to identify a mini roundabout, knowing the basic rule that you only have to give way to traffic approaching from the right.Since a roundabout is a junction, and you would have dealt with easier junctions before graduating to mini-roundabouts, your previous experience will be a good foundation to build on, so revise your M.S.P.S.L routine and how to use it to deal with hazards and junctions. You need to also be confident in moving off swiftly as this a skill that will be called upon regularly at rounabouts. Another skill you need for dealing with mini roundabouts is the ability to change gears smoothly, in particular block gear changing (from 4th to 2nd or 3rd to first or even 4th to 1st).
You need to remember that the brake slows down the car, and you select the right gear to move in (not necessarilly from a stop).
The road sign above is one way of knowing you are approaching a mini roundabout during your driving lesson, other prompts might be a give way sign, with the solid circle painted on the road, so once you've identified the hazard, you should check your mirrors, and signal (if turning left or right, no indicators are need if following the road ahead, neither do you need to signal coming off a mini roundabout as there isn't enough time to do that and steer at the same time), get the car into the right position for the direction you are going turning, next to need to look to the right and using the information your eyes see, dealing with the traffic, or proceed if safe.
One common mistake many learner drivers do when dealing with mini roundabouts is to concentrate so much on the right without scaning the other entrances to the roundabout, thus missing gaps in the traffic.
To safely navigate mini roundabouts you need to be slow, and as much as possible go round them without touching the solid markings (this is not always possible on very small junctions).
You don't always have to stop at a mini roundabout, sometimes just slowing the car down is all that is required to give way to traffic on the right. If you do have to stop for a long queue of traffic, remember to use your handbrake to secure the car, this serves to purposes, first it stops you from being pushed into the junction if bumped from behind by a car accidentally, and secondly your car will not roll backwards. Once secured, get the car to the biting point, so you are ready to move off immediately you spot a safe gap in the traffic, and with a bit of practise, this driving skill will be mastered.
It will take sometime to be confident with roundabouts, so make full use of your driving school instructor by go to various mini roundabouts and not just the ones on DSA test routes.
