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The best idea is a TIMER in big LED numbers next to the traffic color.
Malaysia has had this for years apparently
I like numbers, you can see them a long ways away too.... and you can speed up to miss a red light (I always catch the damn yellow because its unknown times)
I, along with other color-blind individuals, still see color. We just have trouble differentiating between certain shades of colors. I have trouble with brown/green and blue/purple. The red and green for traffic signals are no issue.
My brother is even more color-blind than I am, and he has no issues either. I believe he sees 0 or 1 of the numbers in the color-blind spot test, whereas I see 2 or 3.
Giving a number will just be more confusing when the number needs to change, because of smart traffic controllers that do things like:
*) shorten the cycle in response to trains coming through (which may happen in the middle of a long green)
*) sit on green for the major traffic direction until there is traffic coming in the opposing direction
The other design with the countdown circle could work... on the other hand, the traffic controller will be quite a bit more expensive if it's driving all these additional outputs.
you are overlooking red / green color blindness then. for them they would have trouble telling green from red. and that is the form that people where talking about.
I live in a state where half the people don't know how to handle the current 3 light system. this would turn every intersection into a free-for-all.
I would prefer a traffic light system with a unique shape to each light stage (for the colorblind), a red light stage with a strobe (grabs your attention), and maybe a pulsing green light when it's about to go yellow so we don't live in fear of stagnant green lights.
Also LEDs have other problems when used as Road Signs. LEDs do not generate heat - so when the snow and ice comes, all your signs end up unreadable. (Ah - just noticed PISquared beat me to this comment...)
you are overlooking red / green color blindness then. for them they would have trouble telling green from red. and that is the form that people where talking about.
Then you'll have people intentionally drive slow up to a red light so it turns green right when they approach it.