Today, traffic signals play an important role at every intersection in the city, and if properly designed and installed, traffic signals have many advantages over other control methods. So what are the control advantages of traffic signal lights?

Traffic signal light

    (1) does not require drivers to make independent judgment

    Traffic lights can clearly inform the driver of the distribution of road rights. Drivers do not need to judge the allocation of the right of way, only need to stop when the light is red and pass when the light is green. Other control methods, such as stop control and cycle-through, require drivers to make complex judgments and decisions and to select appropriate gaps in traffic flow. The advantage of reducing driver discrimination requirements is that it reduces the likelihood of drivers making incorrect discriminations.

    (2) Ability to effectively control and handle high volume infiltration.

    Traffic signal control can be used to control high traffic flow situations such as multi-directional intersections. Conversely, if stop control is applied only to detour traffic, the increase in intersection traffic will result in vehicle queuing, which can increase traffic violations and traffic safety problems.

    (3) Proper allocation of roadway rights-of-way

    The use of traffic lights to control intersections is fairer, more reasonable, and more effective than the use of other control methods. When using stop control or cycle-through control, it is necessary to find appropriate gaps for vehicles to enter the main traffic flow, which results in longer waiting times. The use of signals ensures that drivers have a special period of time to pass through the entrance.

    (4) Controllable allocation of road right-of-way

    Waiting times for importing vehicles can be controlled at signalized insertions, but not at stop-controlled or loop insertions. Waiting times for importing vehicles can only be changed by altering the timing of the signals. Modern traffic light controllers can adjust waiting times for different days and different time periods.

    (5) Effective control of conflicting traffic flows

    It can realize orderly time allocation control for different directions and types of traffic flows. It can effectively change the traffic flow from a disorderly state to an orderly state, thus reducing traffic conflicts, enhancing traffic safety and improving the ability to cross the road.

    (6) Reducing right-angle conflicts and events

    Overall, traffic signal control can reduce right-angle collision events at intersections. If left-turning vehicles allocate their own time, incidents involving left-turning vehicles will be reduced accordingly.

    (7) Facilitate pedestrian movement

    If traffic signals are well planned and pedestrian signals are provided, pedestrians are safer crossing congested roads than at unsignalized intersections.

    (8) Disconnecting sight distance constraints

    When there are unalterable sight distance constraints, such as buildings on the corner of an insertion that are too close to each other to block the line of sight, signal control is the only safe way to assign right-of-way.