Three Seconds Red
So what is "Three Seconds Red"?
It is my efforts to change the amount of red clearance on lights at intersections to allow more time for the intersection to clear itself of moving traffic and come to a complete rest so traffic can proceed more safety, and reduce accidents.
Look at it this way. I don't care how much enforcement and penalty you have, or how many cameras you set up or tickets you write, by accident or on purpose people will always run red lights, and there will always be people in the middle of the intersection stopped waiting to turn left, and they'll be there until traffic flowing against them stops, which means when you get the green arrow or green, they will just be starting to move to finish their turn.
The best solution is what we can call "smart lights". They know when it's safe to let the signal change, and reduce a lot of accidents where they are installed. But even with them, the longer the red clearance the safer the intersection. They cost money, and until we can afford to change out to them, three seconds instead of the standard one second will give a buffer that will prevent new cars from starting into an intersection before it has safely cleared, giving room and time to allow possible red light runners to stop or pass through and left turn middle-of-the-road turners to turn and exit the path of traffic.
How did I come up with Three? I watched, and counted, and timed. It usually takes three seconds for traffic to clear and it's safe to proceed. It's as simple as that.
This is just common sense. In Nassau County North of here, The Florida Highway Patrol asked the State DOT to increase the amount of red clearance because log trucks going to a paper mill were killing and hurting so many people. The State of Florida extended that intersection with very positive results. Now agreed, people will adjust to this, but only the worst violators will continue to go through red lights, so this must be married to strong enforcement. Now new lights have a white light on top, that is only on when the signal is red, so police who cannot see the red can still know if the light is red, getting rid of the excuse "oh, it was yellow".
Now, some signals may not need a full three seconds, and things will have to shake themselves out, but to start at three seconds as a good rule of thumb, and adjust intersections to allow for best traffic flow and best reduction of accidents.
Now you might say this will add time to the overall commute. Well, maybe a little, but if you consider how much time an accident causes in delay, reducing accidents will maybe increase overall traffic flow because of eliminating back-ups that result when an accident occurs. If you add a minute to a 20 minute commute, and get rid of two 15 minute back-ups because of accidents, at the end of the month you'll get a net gain in traffic efficiency, and less fuel costs and emissions and stress.
Besides, ever been in that left lane waiting for the light to turn, and somebody is in the middle of the intersection waiting to turn left themselves to go where you just came from, and the light changes, and their oncoming traffic runs yellow and some red to get through, so you get the green and have to wait for them to proceed and clear before you can go, and if you start and stop that just might cause a rear-ender to you or someone behind you, or at least a chain reaction of start and stop that doesn't let as many cars get through your left green arrow before it turns red?
Besides, if accidents are reduced by adding more all red time, there will be less calls for service by police and fire/rescue, less costs to hospitals to attend to emergency room visits that go unpaid, and less property loss, which could reduce insurance losses by insurance companies, which may mean they reduce their rates... (hahahahahahahahaha, yes, I don't expect that either, but at least they couldn't justify an increase)
We are always in a rush, a race, so yellow has come to mean "speed up" to make it, and green means "Go!" like you were at a quarter mile drag strip. Motion seems to never stop, so it's "go, go go" and that creates stress and road rage. That little rest, that little second of "all stop" just might be enough time to relax to make stress levels at rush hour go down, and may save lives, reduce injury, and mean less property damage in the process.
I've talked at length with Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford, and he's pretty much sold on the idea. I've also talked with Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol, who represents Major Grady Carrack, and they seem interested in this idea as well. Don at Jacksonville Traffic Engineering is considering it, and Jim Scott, Florida Department of Transportation, who is the "go to" guy who can decide to try this, says he's not sold on it, but willing to take a look at my idea and maybe try it out somewhere. These are fine people and good public servants who work hard for us with ever getting much thanks. They have mine, because they see when and where bad accidents and death occur, and if you've ever seen death, unnecessary death at an intersection over a stupid accident, you carry it, and it haunts you.
I watched a young boy get hit and sail about 100 feet, last for ten days and die. I worked the accident scene, was there with his family at the hospital, and cried at his services and graveside with his family as he was laid to rest. Life so young should never be cut so short.
How many people could a moment of more "all red clearance" save?
It's just too expensive to change out all lights to these high-tech ones overnight, so until we can, three seconds red is a good rule of thumb to follow.
I can be reached at ThreeSecondsRed@comcast.com
or by calling (904) 781-9473
Want to make sure kids don't get exposed to excessive heat on school buses? Visit http://busheat.blogspot.com/ Contact mail: Skotstar@yahoo.com
Want to help save a century old fire station, last thing a century old on the Saint Johns River from the Fuller-Warren Bridge to the Hart, and make it into a learning center for history and fire safety and prevention?
Then visit http://savestationfive.blogspot.com/
Your world is only as good as you help make it.
Contact mail: ThreeSecondsRed@comcast.net
Skot David Wilson
Please support Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford and Major Grady Carrack of FHP in their efforts to reduce accidents and red light runners. Operation "Street Sweep" promotes safe driving practices, from driving distracted to Move Over (for emergency vehicles) to red light enforcement to getting drunks off the road. These guys have seen too much death and suffering, and are motivated by good and decent hearts to make the world a better place.
Professional Endorsements Welcome!
