THE AMBER LIGHT PROBLEM AND ITS EARLY SOLUTION
DIE GELBLICHTPROBLEMATIK - UND IHRE BALDIGE LOESUNG
WITH REFERENCE TO A DECISION BY THE HIGHER COURT OF COLOGNE (OLG) IN CONNECTION WITH THE RED-AMBER TRAFFIC LIGHT PROBLEM, IT IS MADE CLEAR THAT IN THE OFFICIAL GUIDE LINES TO PARAGRAPH 37 SECTION 2 OF THE STVO (FEDERAL GERMAN ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATIONS) IT IS STATED THAT TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHICH CAN CHANGE MUST NOT FLASH, IN PARTICULAR BEFORE THE LIGHTS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE. GENERALLY TRAFFIC LIGHTS SHOW AN AMBER FLASHING LIGHT FOR ONE SECOND BEFORE REMAINING DARK FOR ANOTHER SECOND. A DRIVER CAN THEREFORE ONLY ESTABLISH AFTER THE FIRST SECOND OF AMBER LIGHT IS UP THAT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT CONTINUING TO FLASH, BUT A CONTINUOUS LIGHT IS TO BE SHOWN. THIS MEANS THAT DURING THE FOLLOWING SECOND A DRIVER CAN NOT BE BLAMED IF HE DRIVES THROUGH THE LIGHTS IF THEY ARE INDICATING RED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. HENCE THE DRIVER IS LEFT WITH, FOR HIS STOPPING OPERATION, ONLY ONE SECOND OF CONTINUOUS AMBER PLUS THE TIME HE REQUIRES, IF DRIVING AT THE PERMISSIBLE 50 KILOMETRES PER HOUR, TO TRAVEL THE 15 METRES (THE DRIVER'S POSITION IN AN ACTUAL CASE) DISTANCE FROM THE SIGNAL WHERE HE WAS WHEN THE LIGHTS CHANGED TO RED. THIS IS A FURTHER 1.08 SECONDS, WHICH WOULD NECESSITATE AN EMERGENCY STOP IN WHICH CASE HE WOULD BE ATTRIBUTED 2/3 OF THE BLAME IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. IT IS STRESSED THAT THE OLG-COLOGNE DECISION WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT OF THE HIGH COURT, SO THAT THE CASE WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE FEDERAL LAW COURTS. FURTHER TO THIS ANOTHER CASE FROM THE OLG-CELLE IS QUOTED, IN WHICH A DRIVER WAS ACQUITTED FROM A CHARGE OF NOT STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT BECAUSE THE AMBER PHASE WAS IRREFUTABLY TOO SHORT.
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Corporate Authors:
GESELLSCHAFT FUER URSACHENFORSCHUNG VON VERKEHRSUNFAELLEN E.V., KOELN (DEU)
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Authors:
- Menken, E
- Publication Date: 1977
Language
- German
Media Info
- Pagination: 5-8
- Monograph Title: ANMERKUNGEN ZUM DVR SICHERHEITSTRAINING "GEFAHREN ERKENNEN - VERMEIDEN - BEWAELTIGEN". EIN ERFAHRUNGSBERICHT
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Serial:
- KOELNER INFORMATIONEN ZUR VERKEHRSSICHERHEIT
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: ARBEITS- UND FORSCHUNGSGEMEINSCHAFT FUER STRASSENVERKEHR UND VERKEHRSSICHERHEIT (AFO)
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Braking performance; Drivers; Equipment; Perception; Traffic control; Traffic signals; Yellow interval (Traffic signal cycle)
- ITRD Terms: 559: Amber light; 1695: Braking distance; 1772: Driver; 3674: Equipment; JURISDICTION ; 2229: Perception; 654: Traffic control; 565: Traffic signal
- Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01300851
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)
- Files: ITRD
- Created Date: Nov 21 2010 8:00AM