{"id":10636,"date":"2012-05-04T08:48:57","date_gmt":"2012-05-04T15:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/?p=10636"},"modified":"2012-05-04T08:48:57","modified_gmt":"2012-05-04T15:48:57","slug":"flashing-yellow-intersection-accidents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/es\/flashing-yellow-intersection-accidents\/","title":{"rendered":"Flashing Yellow Lights Contribute to Portland Intersection Accidents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whenever there\u2019s a Portland intersection accident, it\u2019s logical to assume that two people tried to share the same road space at the same time, and clearly, one of them got it wrong. Or did they? More and more, Portland drivers are arguing that the old system of solid red, yellow and green traffic signals were simple and safer than the new flashing yellow lights that unexpectedly go to solid yellow, seemingly without warning.<\/p>\n

Flashing Yellow Lights: Help or Hindrance?!?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The question is, do flashing yellow lights ease gridlock or do they merely create confusion among drivers?<\/a> Well, statistically, they seem to be doing their job, but you know what they say about statistics.<\/p>\n

Since 2009, Washington County has taken out 372 of the old-fashioned signals and replaced them with sets of lights that include the pulsing amber left-turn arrows. Here are some of the reactions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey relieve gridlock and promote safe turning,\u201d said Washington County transportation spokeswoman Victoria Saager.<\/p>\n

Peter Koonce, the city of Portland\u2019s signals manager, appeared to agree when he said the flashing yellows mean \u201cYou can enter the intersection,\u201d which would, theoretically, reduce some of the traffic back-up at busy intersections.<\/p>\n

Not so fast! Tigard traffic officer Rod Morse contradicted Koonce when he said that entering the intersection before it\u2019s safe to turn<\/em> would amount to what he called grid locking, or unlawfully obstructing traffic.<\/p>\n

David House, a spokesman for Portland\u2019s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services office, admitted the laws need to be tuned up a bit, and in the meantime he advises drivers to stop at the line. \u201cIt\u2019s the safest approach,\u201d House said.<\/p>\n

How will flashing yellow signals prevent gridlock then? If the people making the laws and installing the lights can\u2019t agree, what chance do the road users have of avoiding another Portland intersection accident?<\/p>\n

A 16-year-old recently went for his road test after passing a driver\u2019s ed course at Riverdale High. During the test, the young man pulled slowly into an intersection as a yellow arrow flashed. Then before he could complete the turn, the light turned from flashing yellow to red, and the DMV examiner immediately issued the driver with an automatic fail for making a hazardous turn at a red light. The boy was upset. His mother was confused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s right?\u201d she asked, and she\u2019s an experienced driver who personally told her son it was all right to pull into the intersection when the yellow light was flashing.<\/p>\n

Even the lawmakers seem to disagree. For example:<\/p>\n