EVALUATION OF THE LEFT TURN RED ARROW

This report focuses on the question whether the use of red turn arrows in lieu of red balls can create a safety hazard because of motorists' misinterpretation of the device. Traffic violations of the red arrow and red ball indications were observed at 15 intersections. Sites were selected from Washington, D.C.; Delaware; Westchester County, New York; Minnesota; and Colorado. Intersection types included the cross, wye, and tee. Violation rates, defined as the number of cycles in which at least one violation (turning on the red) occurred during a cycle divided by the total number of cycles observed, were calculated for both the red arrow and red ball. The study concludes that in those jurisdictions using the red arrow for the first time, the violation rate is 6.5 percent for the red arrow as against 8.2 percent for the red ball. For jurisdictions which had used the red arrow previously, the violation rates are 5.7 and 6.7 percent for the red arrow and red ball, respectively. In both situations, the differences are statistically significant at the 5 percent level.

• Corporate Authors:

  Automated Management Systems, Incorporated

  8401 Corprte Drive
  Landover, MD  United States 

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Research, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Noel, E C
  • Gerbig, J
  • Lakew, Mesfin
• Publication Date: 1982-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 54 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Arrows (Signals); Drivers; Evaluation; Hazards; Human factors; Intersections; Left turns; Perception; Red; Red interval (Traffic signal cycle); Signalized intersections; Statistical analysis; Traffic safety; Traffic signals; Traffic surveys; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Violations
• Old TRIS Terms: Arrow (Traffic control); Driver perception
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00365543
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-82- 51 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-80-C-00089
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 30 1982 12:00AM