Do you know why the traffic lights are winking at you?

(WOWT)
Published: Sep. 13, 2018 at 2:46 PM CDT
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If you drive metro streets, you’ve no doubt seen those blinking yellow lights on traffic signals. They’ve been causing a little confusion.

We’re used to seeing turn signals but the blinking yellow arrows are a new twist.

We checked with the Cornhusker Driving School for some guidance on what to do about them.

Anna Venditte said, “If you have a steady green arrow, solid green arrow, you have the protected turn. When you have a blinking yellow arrow you are yielding to oncoming traffic and at that point in time, the oncoming traffic, they have a steady green light so you are yielding to them.”

According to the Nebraska Department of Transportation, research shows these lights improve traffic safety.

The DOT says, “In December 2009, after extensive testing, the Federal Highway Administration authorized use of flashing yellow arrows nationwide. A study conducted by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program determined that drivers had fewer crashes with flashing yellow left-turn arrows than with traditional yield-on-green signal configurations.”

for more.

Bob Bernier said, “I think that it’s working just fine. It took me a couple weeks to get used to it but I think it’s just fine.”

Bob has lived just off Center Street for 18 years and he says the flashing lights surfaced in his neighborhood a few months ago.

“This particular signal just had green and so you had to wait until cars went by before you turned and now it gives you a flashing yellow. I don’t know if it’s necessary but it works just fine.”

Venditte said the study on flashing lights, “found that drivers made fewer mistakes as opposed to the steady green light.”

Bernier told us, “In my Rotary Club there are people that live out on 160th and 180th and they wondered why they didn’t have them out in their neighborhood and this is probably the first time I can remember when we got something in our neighborhood before they got it in theirs.”

Venditte reminds drivers that the purpose of the lights is to keep traffic moving. She tells her students to move into the intersection while waiting for the traffic to clear in order to make a left turn.