A yellow stop sign is a different story, though—that’s actually a throwback to the early days of traffic control, before stop signs universally became red.

But progress doesn't wait for anyone. In the late '80s, older traffic signs were replaced with reflective indicators. That quickly turned into a problem for the popular "Highway Gothic" font.

Traffic control devices provide guidance and let us know the rules. But they can’t force drivers to obey. Build an intersection with long red lights and more drivers will race through on a yellow.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) spokesperson Marshall Hook has a likely answer. Formerly, federal ...

Colorado ranks 6th highest in U.S. for ignoring traffic signs 01:52. Colorado State Patrol troopers say ignoring traffic control signs is leading to more crashes across Colorado.

A: I was initially puzzled by this question. The reason many pedestrians think they can cross the street when the light is green is because that's what the law says: "Pedestrians … facing any green ...