Why the length of a yellow light is important to traffic safety
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Sky Schaudt/KJZZ
In 2023, the Phoenix City Council decided to increase the length of some yellow lights around the city.
The Phoenix City Council earlier this summer decided to increase the length of some yellow lights around the city.
The move is an effort to reduce the number of red-light runners. The city did a test run of sorts, conducting field studies with the University of Arizona at a dozen intersections. The results showed fewer drivers running red lights.
The increases will be between 0.2 and 0.6 seconds, depending on the speed limit of the street where the light is located.
The Show talked with Andy Schaudt, chief of staff at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, about the relationship between how long a yellow light is and what that means for folks driving or crossing through the intersection.
