In the U.S., most large intersections are controlled by traffic lights while in the U.K., roundabouts are much more prevalent.  In recent years, however, traffic lights have gained increasing favour with planners and government organizations, which believe that they have a better impact on traffic flow and safety than roundabouts. Many regular road users, however, disagree and continue to prefer the familiar roundabout over the frustration they experience when navigating traffic junctions controlled by lights.

Drivers rely on traffic-controlling measures to keep motor vehicles moving safely. In the absence of appropriate traffic control measures, road accident claims rise as driving becomes a free-for-all without any clear indication of who has right of way. So which is safer – roundabouts or traffic lights?

Pros and cons for roundabouts, which control traffic by slowing it down, moving it in one direction and determining who has right of way:

• PRO: Ideal for low-speed, low-volume junctions that have reasonably balanced flows in each direction
• PRO: Do not cause delays for red lights; drivers can proceed at-will when they have a clear path (depending on number of other vehicles)
• CON: Can fail to control traffic appropriately when flow is much greater in one direction than another (difficult for drivers to enter)
• CON: Do not adapt to traffic flows’ change over time in response to development, which can substantially impact how traffic moves through a given area

And for traffic lights, which alternately assign right of way to different directional flows of traffic:

• PRO: Ideal for high-volume, high-speed traffic (e.g. exiting motorways – or highways for you Yanks) – able to move significant volumes of traffic safely through densely-populated areas
• PRO: Require less space than roundabouts although they are more expensive, requiring a greater level of maintenance
• CON: Need sophisticated co-ordination and control to ensure that traffic is able to move freely and to avoid bottlenecks
• CON: Can cause annoyance or even serious safety issues if lights don’t properly respond to traffic flow – drivers get annoyed and start to take risks

Traffic congestion and motor crashes are a significant problem in many areas. When it comes to control measures, both roundabouts and traffic lights have their advantages and disadvantages. The most appropriate solution for any given area will depend on its particular features. In the U.S., for example, traffic lights predominate as they’re better-suited for controlling the heavy volumes of cars typical of modern American roadways.

Neither type of control measure is perfect and, as areas and flows of traffic change, the need to review the existing system can often become apparent. And while governments and auto OEMs explore technology to make traffic control measures safer – neither traffic lights nor roundabouts are much protection against the many distracted drivers out on the road.

About this guest author: This guest post has been written by Denver Burke on behalf of Ead Solicitors. He has been writing articles and content on a variety of topics across the web and is hoping to share his enthusiasm and knowledge on the subject.

Image via darrenk