GOVERNMENT CAUSES
TRAFFIC SIGNAL TRAPS

In many cases, government officials make bad decisions that endanger drivers through hidden traps. Here are some of these traps:

LEFT TURN TRAFFIC TRAPS

TRAP TYPE	TRAP NAME AND CAUSE	SIGNAL SEQUENCE	MUTCD VIOLATION	PROPER REMEDY	DEFICIENT REMEDY
T U R N S   O N   C I R C U L A R   G R E E N	YELLOW TRAP (CLASSIC) Circular greens end at different times, tricking a left-turn driver into thinking the other circular green ends at the same time.	1. Greens 2. Change 3. Trap	4D.05.03.B4 Steady Circular Yellow Rules	Flashing Yellow Arrows yellow trap prevention	Anti-backup circuitry (limits signal sequence)
	CHEAP YELLOW TRAP Flashing Yellow Arrow wrongly installed in only one direction on the street with the flashing yellow arrow. This was done to save money. Yellow trap is not prevented.	1. Green & FYA 2. Change 3. Trap	4D.05.03.B4 Steady Circular Yellow Rules	Install Flashing Yellow Arrow signal face for oncoming left turn	Anti-backup circuitry (limits signal sequence)
	GREEN TRAP Circular greens with permissive turns start at different times, tricking driver into thinking left turn is protected.	1. One Green 2. Two Greens 3. Trap	4D.20.01.B 4D.20.01.C Protected/ Permissive Left Turn Display	Use single phase unit for both directions	Force concurrent phases to display together
	LITTLE YELLOW TRAP Circular yellows end at different times, tricking driver into turning across other clearing vehicle.	1. Yellows 2. Change 3. Trap	(none)	Use single phase unit for both directions	Carefully adjust times to be equal.
	SCG PRE-EMPTION YELLOW TRAP The start of a signal pre-emption was not designed with yellow trap in mind. It causes yellow trap when the oncoming circular green is wrongly terminated early.	1. Greens 2. Pre-emption 3. Trap	4D.05.03.B4 Steady Circular Yellow Rules	Install flashing yellow arrows Don't inhibit flashing yellow arrow on pre-emption	All-way all-red clearance before pre-empt approach emptying
TRAP TYPE	TRAP NAME AND CAUSE	SIGNAL SEQUENCE	MUTCD VIOLATION	PROPER REMEDY	DEFICIENT REMEDY
T U R N S   O N   F L A S H I N G   Y E L L O W   A R R O W	SECOND YELLOW TRAP Right-turn overlap does not end when flashing yellow arrow ends, causing yellow trap.	1. FYA Turns 2. Next Phase 3. Trap	4D.05.03.E5 Steady Yellow Arrow Rules	Remove right-turn overlap phase Channelize right turn	(none)
	THIRD YELLOW TRAP Start of flashing yellow arrows is delayed to protect pedestrians. Reservicing the pedestrian phase causes yellow trap.	1. FYA Turns 2. Illegal Next 3. Trap	4D.05.03.E4 4D.05.03.E5 Steady Yellow Arrow Rules	Don't delay flashing Yellow Arrow beginning	Anti-backup circuitry to prevent pedestrian phase from being reserviced (limits signal sequence)
	FYA PRE-EMPTION YELLOW TRAP The start of a signal pre-emption was not designed with yellow trap in mind. It causes yellow trap when the oncoming left turn is wrongly terminated early.	1. FYA Turns 2. Illegal Next 3. Pre-emption	4D.05.03.E4 4D.05.03.E5 Steady Yellow Arrow Rules	Don't inhibit flashing yellow arrow on pre-emption	Fire the politician who thinks that the lives of government employees are more valuable than other people's lives.
	STUPID YELLOW TRAP Flashing Yellow Arrow signal faces wired to the circular greens facing the same way by people who don't understand FYA or yellow trap.	1. FYA Turns 2. Change 3. Stupid Trap	4D.05.03.E4 4D.05.03.E5 Steady Yellow Arrow Rules	Install the Flashing Yellow Arrows the correct way	Fire the politician who made this decision
	OVERLAP YELLOW TRAP Flashing Yellow Arrow signal faces are wired to the circular greens of one oncoming overlap phase, but not the other. Could be a problem of double clearance timing.	1. FYA Turns 2. Illegal Next 3. Trap	4D.05.03.E4 4D.05.03.E5 Steady Yellow Arrow Rules	Remove the overlap or connect FYA to both overlaps	Anti-backup circuitry (limits signal sequence)

MORE TRAFFIC TRAPS

TRAP TYPE	TRAP NAME AND CAUSE	TRAP DIAGRAM	MUTCD VIOLATION	PROPER REMEDY	DEFICIENT REMEDY
O T H E R   T R A P S	OFFSET INTERSECTION YELLOW TRAP Circular greens end at different times, tricking driver into thinking other circular green ends at the same time.		4D.05.03.B4 Steady Circular Yellow Rules	Flashing Yellow Arrows yellow trap prevention Exclusively Protected left turns	Prohibit the left turns
	RIGHT TURN ON RED MUST YIELD TO U-TURN TRAP It is impossible for a driver turning right on red to know in advance if a driver coming from the right is turning left or making a U-turn. The sign tells of the traffic rule, but does not remove the hazard.		(none) See 2B.54.08	Channelize the right turn	Prohibit the right turn on red
	RIGHT TURN YIELD TO BIKES TRAP It is extremely difficult for a driver turning right to see a speeding bike coming up on his right back.		(none) See 9B.05	Prohibit either vehicle from passing the other.	Remove politician who wants yield to bikes.
	BIKE BOX TRAP Bike box rules trap driver if bike hidden by vehicles when signal turns green. Cyclist trapped if moving when signal changes.		Bike Box Not Permitted By MUTCD	Remove bike box	Remove politician who wants bike box.
	ON-RAMP YIELD TRAP There is a YIELD sign at the end of the freeway on ramp and no acceleration lane. The driver has to look back through the rear side window to see freeway traffic to be able to enter.		YIELD entrance ramps are dangerous	Add acceleration lane and MERGE sign. Remove YIELD sign.	Remove politician who wants YIELD sign.

WHAT MUST GOVERNMENT DO?