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Committee hears bill to give tow vehicles clarified right of way in roundabouts
Summary
Sen. Teresa Manzella told the House Transportation Committee Senate Bill 433 would codify behavior for tow vehicles in roundabouts, giving a towing vehicle the right of way when entering simultaneously; DOT witnesses supported the safety intent and agreed to provide before-and-after crash data.
Sen. Teresa Manzella (Senate District 44) told the House Transportation Committee she brought Senate Bill 433 to put clear rules in state law for vehicles towing trailers in roundabouts, saying slower-tracking rear tires and mountable berms can create hazards and that tow vehicles should get the benefit of the doubt when entering at the same time as smaller cars. "When you're entering the roundabout... your rear tires don't necessarily track," she said, and argued that the measure would protect people and property in towed loads.
Larry Flynn, deputy director for the Department of Transportation, testified in support and described roundabouts as an important safety tool. Flynn said the red pavement and berm near the circulatory lane are intentionally designed to accommodate trailers and that the bill’s right-of-way language is a "common-sense approach" to improve safety. "I urge your strong support," Flynn said.
Committee members pressed for specifics. Dustin Rouse, DOT chief engineer, told the committee the department reviewed other states and found three that have passed similar laws; he also said the national committee on uniform traffic control devices is considering signage for multi-lane roundabouts that yield to trucks. Rouse agreed to provide the committee with DOT crash history for installed roundabouts—before-and-after data on serious injuries and fatalities—so members can evaluate safety outcomes.
Representatives raised local operational concerns, including long backups at particular roundabouts, motorists entering the wrong way, oversized loads navigating in the opposite direction with lead vehicles, and snowplow clearance. Rouse said designs allow oversized loads to traverse opposite-direction paths when necessary and that maintenance crews typically use multiple passes to clear roundabouts in winter; DOT will investigate specific trouble spots identified by members.
The bill’s operative language states that vehicles approaching the roundabout must yield to hauling vehicles and that a tow vehicle may "with due regard for all other traffic" deviate from its lane to safely approach or pass the roundabout island. Manzella said DOT’s inventory shows at least 40 roundabouts in the state.
The committee closed the hearing on Senate Bill 433 after the sponsor’s closing remarks. No committee vote was recorded during the hearing.
