Controlling Intersection Lights Can Lead to Big Savings

Isn’t it amazing that we can land a spacecraft in the Gulf of Mexico at the exact time it was supposed to land there? Isn’t it incredible that we can make cars that can park themselves and even drive without a driver? How crazy is it that my phone can unlock my house, turn my lights on and control my home temperature?  Well, maybe it is time that we use our brilliant minds to develop a traffic devise that can eliminate a majority of accidents at intersections. I wouldn’t think it would be that hard to do.

Each month the Quincy Police Department posts the accident report for the previous month and it usually shows that a majority of those accidents usually occur at one of the major intersections in the city like 36th or 24th and Broadway. Quite often the cause is usually the result of someone trying to beat the light. Ah, the age old "beat the light" accident. How many years have we heard about people trying to do just that as the light turns yellow.  I am even guilty of that. This has been going on forever. I think there a solution to this problem and it could save all of us quite a bit on money not to mention our lives.

According to AutoAccident.com, 40% of all accidents occur at an intersection. So why not develop a system where once the light goes from green to yellow to red that all other lanes remain red for a five second time period?  That way no one is moving from any direction through an intersection for at least 5 seconds before the green light comes on to resume traffic flow.

Eliminating up to 40% of vehicular accidents is significant. Imagine the cost savings for motorist on their insurance just for waiting another 5 seconds.  I'm willing to wait. How about you?