One man's red light camera traffic ticket could change the world of traffic lights forever.
Mats Jarlstrom is from in Beaverton, Oregon and back in 2013, his wife got herself a ticket from a red light camera. He was not happy about it.
He had figured out that the ticket happened 0.12 seconds after the light switched from yellow to red, and he believed she didn't have enough time to make it through the intersection.
He would know these things since he's originally from Sweden and studied electrical engineering. He decided to take his case to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying to argue that yellow lights should be extended.
The problem is they ignored him but did fine him $500 for not having a professional engineering license. That put his request on hold for a few. A federal judge overturned the fine earlier this year so he's taken his proposal to the Institute of Transportation Engineers, which sets the official traffic light guidelines for 90 countries.
He is proposing that traffic lights now extend yellow lights from 3.2 seconds to 4.5 seconds. If they accept his proposal next year, yellow lights around the world could get longer.
Source: The Register