The National Transportation Operations Coalition recently reported that out-of-sync traffic signals force the average household to make an additional five trips to the gas pump every year. Research suggests that better control of our nation’s traffic signals would reduce roadway congestion by as much as 10%, cut air pollution by a fifth and prevent accidents at intersections.

Jen Electric Inc.’s Vice President of Engineering, Frank D. Dobiszewski, PE & PTOE, provides five ways routine preventative maintenance of your local traffic signals protects reputations, preserves equipment and mitigates liability exposure.

1. 
   Preventative Maintenance identifies any problems and/or deficiencies with intersection detection; correcting these restores efficient operation. This reduces the amount of time spent waiting by vehicles, as well as reducing vehicle emissions and fuel consumption.
   
2. Preventative Maintenance ensures that pedestrian signals and pushbuttons are operating properly. In addition, PM will ensure that the amount of time needed by pedestrians to cross the street is done in accordance with current design standards. Both of these increase pedestrian safety.
   
3. Preventative Maintenance checks that the duration of the yellow and all red timed properly to allow vehicles to safely clear the intersection, thereby reducing the potential for vehicular conflicts and can reduce right angle crashes.
   
4. Preventative Maintenance detects critical components, which are in need of replacement due to normal wear and tear or damage. Replacing these worn parts reduces the potential for catastrophic failure, which may cause accidents.
   
5. Preventative Maintenance identifies the condition of the electrical wiring and brings to light any deficiencies that need to be corrected and reduce the possibility of shock hazards and failure of the traffic signal heads.