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Allen McQuiston
gemes insurance
Served at Los Alamos in 1963
Some traffic scenarios seem to defy logic. For example, roundabouts are actually more efficient than traditional intersections, and waiting to merge at a lane closure is safer than merging earlier. There’s science behind traffic patterns and why certain road conditions reliably cause congestion and delays. Knowing what to expect can help you anticipate and avoid potentially dangerous traffic patterns. Here are his three seemingly paradoxical traffic patterns and the science behind them.
Rubber necking redux
You’re on the highway, tuning your radio to traffic information. There’s an accident ahead and traffic is backed up in the eastbound lanes, but luckily you’re heading west. Then the traffic in front of you decreases, you slow down, you pass the accident scene on the other side of the road, the traffic in front of you clears up, and you leave. Traffic slows down due to the human instinct to look around to see the scene of an accident, which can make the situation worse.
That’s because sudden changes in speed, like slamming on the brakes to get a glimpse of an accident scene, create anxiety for drivers and encourage everyone to drive more slowly, said Chris Hayes, a road safety expert at Travelers Risk Control. This is because they have no choice but to do so.
If you’ve ever seen a line of cars in traffic start slamming on their brakes all at once, then you couldn’t figure out why they were all braking, you’re probably part of a traffic pulse. It would have been. A “traffic pulse” occurs when a vehicle brakes, which causes vehicles following it to also brake and continue back down the roadway as long as traffic is heavy. Especially in heavy traffic, when a vehicle brakes, closes the following distance, and then accelerates even faster, the pulses can travel for miles.
Traffic pulses also increase the likelihood that distracted drivers will rear-end the car in front of them, causing more accidents. If a major accident occurs up ahead, it may make sense to avoid the area entirely if possible, even if it is in the opposite direction.
detour logic
To some drivers, roundabouts can seem more dangerous than typical signalized intersections. However, in the United States, roundabouts are becoming more popular due to the benefits they offer. The roundabout’s geometry also has the effect of calming traffic while keeping it moving.
“Roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular because they allow vehicles to travel faster than signalized intersections and also save fuel by reducing starting and stopping and idling time,” Hayes said.
According to a study by the Federal Highway Association, “roundabouts can be significantly safer intersections because they reduce the number and severity of collisions and reduce the speed of vehicles passing through the intersection.”
last merge
Safer, Faster Merging? Zipper merging, or waiting until the last minute to merge in order so the zipper teeth can engage, is safer than merging immediately after the next lane closure is announced. This allows drivers to use both lanes for as long as possible, reducing congestion and driver frustration. Some states, such as Colorado, post signs before road closures instructing drivers to wait and then take turns.
Hayes notes that the common theme across all three traffic patterns is that creating reliable travel conditions leads to safer driving. “But don’t expect drivers to behave as predicted,” Hayes says. In particular, when it comes to changing familiar road behavior, some drivers may resist merging later out of a sense of fairness, or enforce off-road norms of not cutting into queues.
In all traffic patterns, drivers need to be prepared for unexpected situations. Being mindful of other drivers and driving predictably will also help you stay safe on the road.
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