Stay Safe At Traffic Light Controlled Junctions - By: ben Jenkins

The next time you find yourself driving towards a set of traffic lights take time to contemplate what a green light means. It you conclude a green light means 'go' then you are only partially correct. What a green light actually means is 'Go, but only if it is safe to do so'.

You should also consider how long the green light has been active. The longer the green light has been active, the sooner it will change to amber. Amber doesn't mean 'speed up to pass the traffic lights before they change to red'. It means stop.

Statistics show that today's drivers are increasingly taking risks at traffic lights. That more and more are prepared to risk driving through an amber or even red light. This may be to do with road congestion impacting on our busy, time consumed lives. Even so, this increases the dangers at traffic light junctions. To counter such dangers it is wise to use an extra defensive driving technique whilst driving through traffic lights.

Even though the lights are green and so telling you to proceed, always glance both ways as you approach the junction, to satisfy yourself that you can get across safely. By taking a moment to look both ways, even when the light is green, you might be able to spot somebody who is prepared to risk their own and yours safety by ignoring the traffic signals.

It is also advisable to keep using you rear view mirror as you pass through a green light. It may be that somebody is following you too closely behind, in which case, by spotting that the green light is about to turn amber in good time, you can slow down early, brake more gently and reduce the chances of a collision from behind.

It is worth noting that all traffic lights are set to the speed zones in which they operate. If you are doing the correct speed limit then you will have plenty of time to stop at an amber light.

The safe way to approach a junction that is controlled by traffic lights is as follows.

On your approach use the mirror-signal-manoeuvre routine. Slow down and be prepared to stop. You should never accelerate towards a green light in the hope of passing through it before it changes to amber. Remember a green light means go only if it is safe and clear to do so. Always check the road is clear before you proceed.

The traffic light sequence is:

Red light - stop and wait at the stop line.

Red and Amber - Stop. Do not move off until the lights change to green.

Green - Go if it is clear and safe to do so. Give way to pedestrians who are crossing.

Amber - Stop. Only continue if the amber light appears after you have crossed the stop line or if you are so close to it would be dangerous to stop.

Traffic Light Failure
Traffic lights sometimes fail. Such failures can cause road traffic chaos. Whenever you come across traffic lights that aren't working you should treat the intersection as an uncontrolled one where no one has priority. For your own safety be prepared to stop as other traffic from other directions may assume they have priority.

About the Author

For more driving advice see the UK driving test and UK driving schools website. A site for learner drivers providing guides on topics such as the theory test and driving test DVD.

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