Is This a Better Traffic Light? Hard to Say.

A few blogs have picked up this traffic light design by a Serbian fellow named Damjan Stankovic. The idea is that you have a visual timer around the red light that counts down, so you know how long you have until the light turns green.Here are the supposed benefits:

Mr Stankovic claimed the device would reduce stress felt by drivers and could even help the environment. He said: "Since you know exactly how long you have to wait you can sit back and clear your head for a while. No need to keep your foot on the gas. Relax."

Yes. Or since you know exactly when the light turns green, everyone tries to jump the gun, street race-style.My intuition is that this would, in fact, improve things. My guess is that it would actually allow drivers to relax, and wouldn't cause an epidemic of early starts. But I don't think it's at all obvious that I'm right.