Do You Think The Length of Time the Yellow Light Stays On Should Be Increased?
By elmiko
@elmiko (6630)
United States
June 28, 2011 11:06am CST
They say Traffic Light Cameras have reduced accidents and that's great, but still they could cause accidents. Rear end collisions is the accidents I'm referring to. To prevent this I would support increasing the time the Yellow Light stays on. If they did this I think it would definitely reduce traffic accidents a great deal.
2 people like this
6 responses
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
28 Jun 11
I'm not sure if it would decrease an accident or not honestly. Alot of people speed through the yellow light to make sure they get through it before it turns red. The more time they have, the more cars in behind them, are going to try to do the same thing. It makes more time for the first car though.
2 people like this
. Just kidding. I think that if the yellow light stayed on longer, people would get used to the increase and the accidents would start all over again. 
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
16 Aug 11
I don't think it's the yellow light that should be longer, rather the green light. Some lights are so short. At the intersection that I usually use, there are two sets of lights, going either way. When I am crossing, I'll watch the other light, and the yellow light will indicate that it'll soon turn red, meaning that my red light (other corner) is about to turn green. That's how I time it.
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
28 Jun 11
Like petersum, I don't really understand how extending the yellow light time would reduce rear-end collisions. Could you explain further? In my opinion, I think all it would do is increase the number of vehicles trying to "rush through" before the red.
1 person likes this
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
29 Jun 11
Interesting... they don't do that where I live so I can understand now why you would think that extending the yellow would curb some of those accidents. I just think that, no matter how long the yellow light is, people will continue to see it as a "hurry up and get through before it turns red" light. So many people observe the yellow correctly - makes you wonder if they really remember its purpose, doesn't it?
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@elmiko (6630)
• United States
29 Jun 11
if you run a red light in my area the traffic camera takes a picture of your vehicle and mails the driver a $100 traffic ticket. this could cause people to slam on the brakes during a yellow light for fear of having to pay a $100 fine. this could then cause the driver behind them to rear end their vehicle. i've explained as clear as i can. i assume in other cities the fine would be much higher.
2 people like this
@petersum (4522)
• United States
28 Jun 11
Now that you mention it, the yellow light does have a different duration in different countries. I never thought about it before, but it is true. As most traffic light systems tend to be made by the same company - Siemens, I expect it is just a simple timing adjustment.
What I don't understand is how you think this will prevent rear end collisions. What is more important to watch - the traffic light or the vehicle in front of you?
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@elmiko (6630)
• United States
29 Jun 11
of course one should be watching the vehicle in front of them. however, if a vehicle was to slow down fast to avoid a traffic ticket then it could cause a rear end collison. running a red light in my city will get someone a $100 traffic ticket.
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@courtknee525 (3742)
• United States
28 Jun 11
A yellow light will stay yellow depending on the speed limit for that road. The light stays yellow one second for every 10 mph the speed limit is. So let's say the speed limit is 50, the light will stay yellow for 5 seconds.
I don't think it should be increased, people just need to be more aware and careful.
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