What should be your first action when approaching a roundabout?

When approaching a roundabout, the first action you should take is to yield to traffic that is already in the roundabout. This is crucial for ensuring a smooth and safe flow of traffic. Roundabouts are designed to improve traffic efficiency and reduce the likelihood of accidents, so understanding the right-of-way rules is essential.

Traffic already circulating within the roundabout has the right of way, meaning as a driver, you need to assess the situation and wait for a safe gap in traffic before entering. This helps prevent collisions and allows the roundabout to function effectively. Yielding is key to maintaining the continuous movement of vehicles while also ensuring that drivers can safely merge into the traffic flow.

While the other options present choices that might seem tempting, they can lead to confusion or dangerous situations. For instance, entering without stopping ignores the fundamental principle of yielding, speeding up could cause you to collide with vehicles already in the roundabout, and signaling right before entering is not appropriate until you are actually in the roundabout and preparing to exit. Understanding and applying the rule of yielding is essential for safe navigation through roundabouts.