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Traffic Lights at Intersections and How They Work
Living in a large city, most of us have regular, everyday exposure to traffic lights at intersections. As either a driver or a pedestrian, we expect them to keep us reasonably safe and operate in a relatively efficient manner. However, many of us do not really understand how these signals operate.
Traffic lights are unique and may vary a great deal from one intersection to another. Each intersection signal has a specific plan that was designed by a team of traffic signal engineers and technicians. Despite their differences, every traffic light shares certain commonalities as to how they are programmed and maintained. State and national standards are in place to ensure all traffic signals provide uniform displays to both drivers and pedestrians.
Myths and Facts
Traffic light accidents are very common, most often occurring when a driver is making a left turn or running a red light. The excuses drivers use are as numerous as the accidents themselves, but the truth is often more easily determined than anyone realizes.
Signal lights CANNOT do anything they have not been programmed to do, and they operate within a fairly narrow set of predetermined parameters. Furthermore, despite what many people think, it is almost always possible to tell exactly what the lights were doing at the time of the accident.
Figuring out which driver ran a red light or if a pedestrian stepped out into traffic is often easily determined by comparing witness and driver statements to the operating and timing plan for the traffic light involved.
Other myths and misconceptions include both drivers claiming to have a greenlight (safety components will not allow this to happen-ever), one driver assuming that if their light is turning red, the driver coming towards them will also be stopping (it is very common for opposing lights to have different timing, and drivers claiming that they only ran a red light by a tenth of a second.
Although a red light being too short can happen in certain circumstances, albeit very rarely, a driver running a red light by just a little bit will hardly ever cause a crash unless the other party involved is also doing something wrong (i.e. stepping off the curb too soon, jumping the green light prematurely, etc.).
Consult a Knowledgeable Car Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you care about has been involved in a traffic light intersection collision, one of the first calls you should make is to an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer. With car accident forensic experts on their side, they can help you prove the facts of the case and help you achieve the settlement you deserve.
Shea Law Group
Intersection accidents often cause serious, life-altering injuries and death; and the representatives of large insurance companies will do everything they can to defer responsibility for these claims. They enlist highly-skilled teams of legal experts to protect their interests and reduce their payouts to accident victims. Nevertheless, our dedicated legal team at Shea Law Group consistently achieves positive results for our clients in these types of situations.
No matter what type of accident you have been involved in, our experts are here to help you understand your rights and protect your financial future. Call (877)-365-0040 for your free, no obligation consultation today and let one of our knowledgeable car accident lawyers help you and your family attain the compensation you are entitled to.
