The Effect of Countdown Timer on Red Light Violation at Signalized Intersection

Red light violation happens when a driver do not stop and go across intersection junction after the traffic signal turns red. This endangers the road safety at the intersection and cause more accidents and even fatality. Objectives of the survey is to study the effectiveness of countdown timer to reduce red light violation, investigate whether geographical locations (urban and sub-urban) affect the efficiency of the countdown timer, find out whether the countdown timer affect the effectiveness of Level of Service (LOS) at the signalized intersections and justify the driving behavior of drivers from different states in Malaysia and from different country in affecting the efficiency of countdown timer to reduce red light violation. Four locations had been chosen for the surveys which are Batu Gajah Highway Intersection in Batu Gajah, Perak, Ipoh-Lumut Highway Intersection in Seri Iskandar, Perak, Jalan Bakau Condong Intersection in Batu Pahat, Johor and Jalan Peserai Intersection in Batu Pahat, Johor. For each intersection, video camera used to capture the movement of vehicles and traffics flow into intersection for 2 hours. Data summary of the survey converted into percentage and Chi-Square analysis from the purely numbers to passenger car unit (pcu). The level of service (LOS) of all intersections involved in the traffic survey can be obtained through SIDRA software. The results shown the countdown timer is effective enough to reduce red light violation. The LOS were random at all intersections and did not see much significant different when the occurrence of countdown or without countdown timer. The comparison of results between geographical location whether urban or sub-urban is done with comparing results of Batu Pahat, Johor (urban) and Seri Iskandar, Perak (sub-urban) and result had shown the urban intersections have higher potential for red light violation due to emotion and stress level on drivers. Besides, the driving behavior in different cities in Malaysia and other countries can be done by comparing with previous survey in Ipoh, Georgetown, Bangkok (Thailand) and Changsha (China). The results had shown that the countdown timer is effective in any places in Malaysia but due to different driving culture with Malaysia, drivers in Changsha (China) more tend to go across the intersection when red light with the occurrence of the countdown timer.