Effects of a Change in the Control Device on Intersection Accidents

In recent years vehicular travel has been increasing at a tremendous rate. The growth of traffic volumes at many intersections has neces­ sitated many changes in the control devices employed to regulate the intersecting traffic flows. The control devices most often used when the volumes are low are stop or yield signs. At high volume at-grade inter­ sections, however, a traffic signal is required to regulate the intersecting traffic flows to reduce congestion and delay. Since the traffic signal is the control device employed to regulate traffic at high-volume intersections, it has been assumed by much of the motoring public to be a cure-all for intersection problems, including safety. It was the purpose of this research to provide traffic officials with factual information about possible changes in accident character­ istics which occur when a traffic signal replaced two-way stop control.