You make my world go roundabout

This past spring, I drove around in my first career roundabout in Carmel, Indiana. After six years of seeing stop signs and lighted intersections, this roundabout threw me for a loop (no pun intended...that would've been too lame), but it was surprisingly simple to use. And to go one step further, roundabouts are more efficient and safer than a typical crossroads intersection.

I first heard what a roundabout was last year, and now after being through a couple recently, I am convinced many more intersections need to make the switch permanently.

Several studies have shown that roundabouts, first and foremost, are safer than stoplights and reduce injuries and deaths in car accidents. A roundabout just about eliminates a head-on collision and T-boning (unless an absolute moron drove the wrong way in a roundabout). In intersections that were replaced with a roundabout, there were 39 percent less crashes and a "76 percent decrease in injury-producing crashes." And fatalities? Those fell almost 90 percent.

We're also living in an age where everyone and his or her mother is trying to "go green" and save the environment (myself included). Roundabouts do just that, as they cut down maintenance costs of traffic stoplights by thousands annually, save gas mileage (most times, you only need to slow down to around 15 miles per hour--there would be no more idling at red lights), consequently reduce carbon dioxide emissions drastically (about 30 percent), and lend themselves to landscaping.

The internal combustion engine is one of the polluting inventions, but it's so ingrained into our driving society that we need to roll with it and slowly evolve into alternative forms of transportation. Roundabouts not only ease traffic and stoplight eyesores, but they also prevent crashes and are better for our environment.

They are not being developed because of stubborn officials in charge, but thankfully, 23 states are on the roundabout bandwagon. I think it's getting very close to the time where we stop talking about how cool and innovative roundabouts are and actually move to their mass implementation.

Video of the Day: Don't believe me? Well, listen to this lady. She knows what's up.