The traffic light is the traditional red, yellow, and green light at most intersections. The green light is telling the driver to go if it is clear. The yellow light is warning the driver that the light is about to turn red which will require the driver to bring their car to a complete stop. Trouble comes for the beginning driver when the light transitions from green to yellow. The new driver has trouble judging when to stop or go when the light makes this transition from green to yellow. First, the light is going to stay yellow for about 2 seconds and maybe as many as 4 seconds. Therefore, if you are going 30 mph then you will need about 110 feet to stop. So, if you are 115 feet away from the traffic light you should stop. And, if you are 50 feet away you should go if the light turns yellow as you are approaching the intersection. Another rule to follow is when approaching an intersection where the light has just turned from green to yellow, ask yourself, if I brake hard right now where will I end up stopped? If the answer is in the intersection or further, then you should go through the intersection because ending up stopped in the middle of the intersection is the last place you want to be. Minimizing danger associated with traffic lights is clearly one of the goals of this course. So another way to minimize risk is to always cover the brake as you approach the intersection and then return your foot to the gas once you have passed through the middle of the intersection. And finally, when you are sitting at the intersection and the light changes from red to green, look left and then right and then left before entering the intersection to check for anyone who might not be stopping on the cross street. This simple ½ second precaution could certainly prevent a very serious collision.
Traffic control devices guarantee us of one thing, that we are entering an area where lots of traffic intersects. This threat of intersecting traffic automatically means we are in a high risk area and driver errors are much more likely. Strictly obeying the traffic light is the best way to minimize the risk associated with driving in this part of the transportation system. Always remember, traffic control devices are there to minimize risk and increase the flow of traffic as long as everyone follows the rules. Running red lights is just simply unacceptable