Bluefield,VI: Turn signal a factor at crash site in Bluefield on November, Wednesday 1st 2017

A traffic light change at the intersection of Rt. 460 and Leatherwood Lane in Bluefield, Va. may be contributing to recent accidents at that intersection.

Two crashes occurred just last week with a helicopter needed to transport one victim.

“Since July, from what we are gathering, people are making a left turn off Rt. 460 on a blinking amber (yellow) light,” said Sgt. T.M. Carroll with the Bluefield, Va. Police Department. That turn may be the cause of a rash of accidents.

Carroll said if a motorist is traveling eastbound and turning onto Leatherwood lane, the green arrow means it’s okay to turn. However, the blinking yellow light means to turn with caution because westbound Rt. 460 traffic has a green light.

The Virginia Department of Transportation installed the blinking yellow arrows in July, a change from the traditional round yellow light.

“From what we can tell, that (change to the blinking yellow arrow) is the root cause (of the crashes),” Carroll said.“They (motorists) are not using caution when they see the blinking yellow arrow. They just assume those people (in the Westbound lanes) have a red light.”

If motorists would use caution, it would not be a problem, he added.

“The new type of traffic signal with a flashing yellow arrow was added this summer,” said Michelle Earl, with VDOT’s regional office in Bristol. “They’ve been in the district (12 counties in southwestern Virginia) since 2015.”

Earl said the signal displays four arrows to regulate traffic flow: a red arrow to tell drivers to stop; a steady yellow arrow to communicate that the light is changing; a flashing yellow arrow which means drivers may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic; and a green arrow to show that the driver has the right of way to make a left turn.

“Flashing yellow arrows are more effective than the more common circular green light and other signals at conveying to drivers the need to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians when turning left,” she said. “Studies have shown that after a short learning period flashing yellow signals are better understood, better obeyed and are safer. A flashing yellow arrow is more intuitive for communicating to drivers the need to yield to oncoming traffic than a solid green light.”

Earl said VDOT was informed about the issue last week by Tazewell County, “and we are in the process of having our traffic engineering team research the situation.”

Tazewell County Eastern District Supervisor Charlie Stacy said he became aware of the number of accidents at the intersection and wanted to find out if there were specific reasons for the increase.

“We have asked VDOT to come check it out,” he said, adding that he wants the public to be aware of it too until VDOT pinpoints the problem.

In the meantime, Carroll urged motorists to use caution at the intersection and pay close attention to any oncoming traffic in the other lanes before turning.

Source :
Turn signal a factor at crash site in Bluefield