![]() ![]() Generally, this is about managing anywhere that roadways and traffic might bump up against non-traffic areas. The signs that let you know a stoplight is around a curve, for example, prevent crashes or vehicle-pedestrian collisions by alerting drivers of a sudden or unexpected stop or slow down on the road. When it comes to intersections, crosswalks, school zones, and other places where there’s a good deal of both vehicular and foot traffic, traffic signals help communicate potential risk areas for both drivers and pedestrians. The idea here is to limit the speed and volume of traffic to safe levels by speeding up or slowing down traffic along the whole span of road in question. These signals might be anything from warning signs to streetlights, from complex to simple, all for the sake of keeping people in their own lane. While some signals may work to fill a very particular niche, most signals share a common set of purposes.įrom managing travel times to preserving safe roadways, the majority of traffic signals are designed to keep cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone else using the road safe. ![]() There are several overarching reasons that traffic signals pop up all over our roadways and neighborhoods. But how and why are the lights timed the way they are? What kind of technology is required to maintain a safe and constant flow of traffic? The immediate point is to prevent people from driving out into the intersection at any time and causing a major accident. If you’re familiar with driving at all, then you likely know the basic functions by heart at this point.īut, what about the extended purpose of traffic signals? We all know a stop sign means stop, which usually signals an intersection or a walkway that allows for other drivers or pedestrians to pass, but why are stop signs placed where they are? Is there a science to deciding how many stops each neighborhood or intersection requires?Īnother great example is a stop light at a major intersection. The extended purpose, then, is to increase safety, manage traffic and travel times, and provide direction for drivers. Traffic signals exist to control the flow of traffic in one way or another. ![]() So it’s rare that people actually ask themselves what the purpose of traffic signals actually is. Much like driving in general, people often learn the patterns, speeds, signals, and overall behavior of traffic and it becomes a natural part of their usual commute around the city. Most of the time, traffic signals are a passive factor in our lives. ![]()
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