Smart traffic management systems, however, could be fed weather data, or collect it themselves, and change their timing accordingly. They could also clear the way for emergency services by accelerating certain lanes of traffic or blocking cars from entering an intersection before first responders pass.
More On: traffic “The white phase concept also incorporates a new traffic signal, so that human drivers know what they are supposed to do,” Hajbabaie said. “Red lights will still mean stop. Green lights will still mean go. And white lights will tell human drivers to simply follow the car in front of them.”
Roundabouts are a safer alternative to traffic signals and stop signs. The tight circle of a roundabout forces drivers to slow down, and the most severe types of intersection crashes — right-angle, left-turn and head-on collisions — are unlikely.