 recently announced that it has approved […] "'Pin It")
Oregon Engineer’s New Traffic Light Timing Formula Means Longer Yellow Lights
Late last year, we shared how Swedish engineer Mats Järlström was advocating for longer yellow lights in Oregon. This year, it looks like he’ll reap the reward for his efforts.
One engineer’s victory
According to a press release from the Institute for Justice, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) recently announced that it has approved Järlström’s new traffic light timing formula. This vote means longer yellow lights for American drivers and possibly for international ones. It’s good news for Järlström, who’s been fighting for this change for the past seven years.
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The journey to establish a better formula
It all started back in 2013 when Järlström’s spouse got a red light camera ticket. This inspired him to research how yellow lights are timed. Thanks to an electrical engineering background, he soon realized that the current formula didn’t factor in that drivers need to slow down before turning at intersections. He worked out a better formula which would give drivers more time to turn before the light changed to red.
He then shared his results and suggested revision with the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying. The Board responded by conducting a two-year investigation. It then fined Järlström $500 for publicly criticizing the current traffic light timing formula without having a Professional Engineer license. It also prohibited him from discussing his research and trying to promote it.
Järlström partnered with the Institute for Justice to fight the Board based on its infringement of the First Amendment. He called into question the legality of state-licensed experts holding a monopoly on exchanging ideas about any technical topic. He won the case in late 2018.
Safer intersections of the future
We’ll have to wait and see how soon intersections will start adopting the new timing formula so that traffic lights will stay yellow for longer. Järlström is just glad that it will soon spare Americans from getting red light tickets when making safe turns during yellow lights.
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Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.