Month: April 2019

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Mixed Signals – Who Should Yield?

Q: I have a question regarding the traffic rules of a particular intersection in Bellingham. The intersection of Alabama and Woburn has a right turn lane with a yield sign (for drivers traveling south on Woburn towards Alabama). My question is, if the light is green for Woburn traffic going both directions, does the northbound Woburn traffic making a left-hand turn onto Alabama yield to the southbound traffic making a right-hand turn on Alabama or is it the other way around? A wager of one coffee is riding on the outcome of your answer, so we’re eager to learn the actual rule here.

A: I don’t often tackle a question that applies to a single location, but in this case the intersection at Alabama and Woburn makes a great stand-in for the problem of apparently conflicting traffic control devices. Plus, I always like to weigh in on a wager. In the case of this intersection (and a few others I’ve driven through in the region) we have the bulk of the intersection controlled by traffic lights, and one small right turn lane controlled by a yield sign.

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Side Streets Vs. Interstate: Which is Safer?

Q: I believe that studies show after changing an intersection to a roundabout, there will be more crashes in the roundabout than an intersection but the crashes will be less serious in the roundabout. Could there be a similar phenomena concerning side roads and expressways? For example, if I travel from Fairhaven to the airport, would I be more apt to have a collision if I took side roads than if I took I-5, but if I had a crash on a side road, would it probably be less severe than if I had one on the expressway? 

A: You’re 83 percent correct about the studies on roundabouts and collisions (and I just made up that percentage). But the following percentages were determined by actual researchers: A national study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that roundabouts decrease fatal crashes by 90 percent, injury crashes by 75 percent, pedestrian collisions by 40 percent, and overall crashes by 37 percent. However, those studies focused primarily on single lane roundabouts.

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Four-Way Frenzy or Simple Solution?

Q: Is it legal to use the center turn lane as an on-ramp to merge into traffic?

A: Yes, it is. I’ll get to the legal reference in a moment, but first let’s think about what that means. Drivers traveling in both directions on a roadway can legally use the center turn lane to both leave and enter that road. And the only thing that stops four different drivers from using all four of those approaches at the same time is their observational skills and understanding of the law. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it?

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DIY Distracted Driving Education

It’s not unusual when driving through a city to see a person near an intersection holding a cardboard sign. But it’s pretty unusual for that sign to have a traffic safety message. That’s exactly what I saw today. And since we’re in the midst of distracted driving emphasis patrols, with law enforcement across the state focusing on drivers paying more attention to their phones, food, faces or other distractions rather than the task of driving, the timing couldn’t be better. When I told him I was a fan of his message the sign-holder agreed to a photo. Here’s to proving that anyone with a little motivation can help spread the message of safe driving.

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The Dutch Reach – It’s Probably Not What You Think It Is

Q: What is the Dutch Reach?

A: I’m going to guess that most people have never heard the term “Dutch Reach.” I hadn’t heard it until about a week ago; I was in a meeting when someone mentioned it as part of a conversation that offered very little context. The meeting went on and I was left wondering, so this week I’m both asking and answering the question.

As the Dutch Reach was new to me, I thought it would be interesting to ask some friends, without giving them any clues, what they thought the Dutch Reach might be. Here’s what I got:

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