Traffic signal light & Control System : The benefit of count down timer in traffic road

Have you ever seen in a cross road that contains trffic light,pedestrian light?Like the picture showed below.

But you must have also seen a cross road that has traffic signal light,pedestrian light and count down timer as well. As the picture show below.

The pros and cons of applying count down timer in traffic road has been discuss frequently in recent years.

Count down timer at red lights warning drivers how much time is left befor the light changes and inform drivers how much time remained before the light turn green,while timer at green lights would tell drivers how much time was left before the light turned red,some traffic expert say it can ease traffic flow and allow drivers to prepare and could also have environmental benefits if motorists swith off their engines.

Naushad,52 years old,who lived and worked in Abu Dhabi for 23 years,said he would like to see timers installed at Abu Dhabi's traffic junctions.

"People tend to increase their speed when approaching a junction,a timer can help drivers decide whether or not to pass through thr green light," he said." if the timer shows I've got four seconds left before the lights turn red,I konw I will reach the junction in time,so I need to slow down.

“We feel safe because of these timers,” he said. “Accidents could be avoided if timers were installed at traffic signals.”

Pedestrian countdown timers are frequently available at newer signal installations in Abu Dhabi. They are visible to drivers who can also use them to gauge how much green time is left, said Glenn Havinoviski, a transport expert in Abu Dhabi.

“These timers are commonly used in the US,” he said. “However, they are mounted optimally so they are visible to pedestrians, not to drivers.”

Research in Shanghai, China, showed the potential benefits relative to traffic flow and safety because timers, particularly for green lights, provide some estimate of the signal transition.

However, field observations have shown that drivers accelerate through the intersection at the end of the green cycle even when the countdown time may be less than two seconds.

“In an environment such as Abu Dhabi, care needs to be taken to make sure some drivers do not use the countdown timer to see if they can ‘beat the clock’,” Mr Havinoviski said.

Research recommends the use of red-light countdown timers, which UAE authorities could look into, said Thomas Edelmann, founder of Road Safety UAE.

Studies also show that while timers at red lights have helped to reduce the number of traffic accidents by half, twice as many accidents have occurred when timers were installed at green lights.

Moving drivers try to rush through the intersection, while stopped drivers show more patience before speeding out into the intersection.

In my opinion,the benefits of applying count down timer outweigh the disadvantages.At less people pay attention to traffic signal and reduce anxieties.

By the way.there are many kinds of count down timer in Noble.

300mm two digital count down timer,pc housing