Maine DOT Employee Writes Children’s Book About Roundabouts That Adults Should Read

In case you're not counting, which you probably aren't, Maine has over 20 roundabouts and rotaries designed to keep traffic flowing across the state. And yes, there is a difference between a roundabout and a rotary.

Unlike rotaries, roundabouts are a tighter circle designed to slow traffic down and keep everyone at a consistent speed when entering and exiting the intersection. It's a simple concept, but some people still have a lot of problems figuring out what to do when they enter a roundabout.

Jonathan French is a Transportation Engineer with the Maine DOT whose job it is to design some of the roundabouts across the state. He has written a children's book explaining all about roundabouts called Ronda Loves Roundabouts. And yes, his intention is for kids to learn about how roundabouts work as well as adults, because they are the ones who are behind the wheel getting it wrong.

The book features Ronda who looks like a roundabout and is named Ronda Bout. Get it?

He's hoping that this children's book will be a fun read for kids and educational for adults to teach both how to safely navigate through roundabouts. They say the younger you learn something, the longer you retain it. So maybe Jonathan's book will spawn a generation of drivers who know what they're doing when they enter the roundabout as easily as they learned how to ride a bike.

If you want a copy of Ronda Loves Roundabouts you can order it now at buildtheera.com.