Yellow Clearance Interval duration is generally how long?

Yellow Clearance Interval duration is generally how long?

• A. 1-2 seconds
• B. 3-6 seconds
• C. 6-9 seconds
• D. 0.5-1 seconds

Answer: (B)

Yellow clearance interval is the brief period after the signal turns yellow that allows drivers to safely stop or clear the intersection before red. It should be long enough for a driver to perceive the yellow, react, and begin braking at typical intersection speeds. The commonly used range is three to six seconds, which balances giving enough stopping time with preventing excessive delay to cross streets. Shorter values like half a second to one second don’t provide enough time for perception and braking, while longer values such as six to nine seconds are beyond standard guidance and would slow overall traffic flow more than necessary.

Yellow clearance interval is the brief period after the signal turns yellow that allows drivers to safely stop or clear the intersection before red. It should be long enough for a driver to perceive the yellow, react, and begin braking at typical intersection speeds. The commonly used range is three to six seconds, which balances giving enough stopping time with preventing excessive delay to cross streets. Shorter values like half a second to one second don’t provide enough time for perception and braking, while longer values such as six to nine seconds are beyond standard guidance and would slow overall traffic flow more than necessary.