Forget that green means go. Now, flashing yellow left-turn arrows are giving drivers the option to go at traffic lights across the country.
The signal is a protected-permissive left-turn signal, said Matthew Weisman at City of Gainesville public works traffic operations division.
It is used to show that drivers can turn left with caution, he said, and it’s intended to replace the classic circular green light.
The icon is expected to reduce traffic crashes for left turns, he said.
“When people see green, they drive,” said Weisman, acting traffic operations manager.
The division of traffic operations retrofitted many intersections over the summer, including along Archer Road. New intersections will have the icons installed in Gainesville.
Drivers will start to see the flashing yellow arrow all across the country. North Carolina has installed the signal in all of its lights, said Weisman.
So far, it hasn’t increased nor decreased traffic crashes, said GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias, but the lights should make things clearer for drivers.
“They are there to let you know it’s OK to make a turn, but they’re not telling you to make a turn,” Tobias said. “It’s up to you to make the decision.”
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 8/27/2013 under the headline "Yellow traffic arrows flash across town"
