Yellow Traffic Lights May Hold Key to Eliminating Accidents

Researchers at the Center for Sustainable Mobility are studying the role and timing of the yellow traffic light in order to better understand how drivers can avoid car accidents at traffic-light intersections.

Insurance Journal reports that more than 20 percent of fatal traffic accidents in the United States occur at intersections. According to the center’s research, more often than not an accident occurs due to misjudgment by the driver at the time the yellow light changes. Often drivers will keep going to avoid being rear-ended by the vehicle behind them even though doing so may leave them at risk of colliding with side street traffic if the light changes.

The yellow light’s time is usually set for 4.2 seconds on a 45 mph road, according to Insurance Journal. The time is longer for higher-speed roads. Studies by the center found that 43 percent of drivers who crossed the stop line during a yellow light were not able to clear the intersection before the signal turned red. It takes 1.5 seconds for a driver going 45 mph to clear a 30-meter (98.4 feet) intersection.

The center’s research has tried to determine safer and more efficient signal times for intersections with traffic lights. The research suggests the use of longer yellow lights or caution lights to signal when a light is going to change, in order to give the drivers a better warning, writes Insurance Journal.  In-car displays designed to work with a driver’s reaction time could be another option.

If you or a loved one has experienced an auto accident, contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation and to find out if a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you.

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