The Killer Stop Sign

Raymond Reed Hardy

It happens every day. Many of us have had to slam on our brakes to avoid hitting someone who halted at a stop sign and then pulled out in front of us, even though we had the right of way. Why do drivers do this? Many people would say the reason is inattentive driving. But explanations that look inside the person for something to blame are rarely helpful. It is usually better to identify features of the immediate environment that make the behavior likely. In this case, I believe the explanation has to do with physical features of two-way stop intersections.

Most intersections with stop signs are either two-way stops or four-way stops. In a 4-way-stop intersection the driver stops, looks, and then drives forward in front of oncoming traffic. (This is permissible because drivers coming from the right and left also have stop signs.) In a 2-way-stop intersection the driver stops, looks, and then waits until the road is clear before proceeding. (This is necessary because drivers from right and left do not have stop signs.) The behaviors required in the two intersections are clearly very different. The problem arises when a driver arrives at a 2-way-stop and behaves as if it were a 4-way-stop.

I believe this happens because the two intersections are very similar. The more similar two situations are, the more likely we are to behave as though they were the same. A failure to distinguish (behaviorists say, a failure to discriminate) between two situations can have disastrous consequences when the two situations require different kinds of behavior. That is the case with two- and four-stop intersections: They are very similar, but require very different behaviors.

This analysis suggests an easy fix for the problem: All we need to do is make the two kinds of intersections markedly different. I suggest that stop signs at two-way stops be made bright orange, the color hunters are required to wear because of its high visibility. If this kind of sign were used only at two-way stops, and the current red signs were used at four-way stops, it would be easy to discriminate between the two kinds of intersections.

I am unaware of any research testing my explanation for the kinds of accidents that killed by student's sister. But what we know about human behavior implies that my explanation is sound and, more importantly, that steps such as those I have proposed would save lives. We should begin by replacing signs at intersections where accidents are common. If the accident rate does not go down, we will have lost very little in the way of tax dollars; if I am right, the savings in human suffering will be substantial.

I have contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTS), but have received no response. I believe it will take a public outcry to move those in power to action. If a few hundred people were to contact NHTS or their Congressman, we could see some action. (Find your congressman's address) Many of the problems facing our society are frustratingly difficult; this is one problem we can easily solve.

Recently my own daughter was involved in an accident at a two-stop intersection. Luckily, she was not injured. Next time, she may not be so lucky. Next time, you may not be so lucky.

Reed Hardy, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Psychology at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.

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