Approaching An Expiring Green Light - Coast Or Start Braking?

If you are approaching an expiring green light and it's ready to turn yellow at any moment... how do you handle such a situation? Do you slowly start braking, coast or accelerate?

Also, I know this is off-topic, but do you know if you can you have html tags in the subject line for lets say to make a word italicized?

Remember you can legally enter an intersection as long as the light is not red. So green, yellow and "orange" are ok, all things considered.

Do your best to watch the green light ahead, and as it gets stale, be ready for braking. A fast stop is out of the question, especially if your truck is close to 80,000 lbs. Also a fast brake may trigger a critical event, and you'll have some explaining to do for the Safety Office.

Do watch the green, but if you are in that magic go/no go zone, I suggest keep going, maybe with a polite pull on the air horn. Remember, once the light does flip to red it's rare that any cross traffic has really gotten started.

Errol is spot on with his comments. The other things I’ll add. Many lights are triggered by waiting traffic. So if it’s stale...take a look at the intersection, if there’s traffic waiting, you can provably assume it will be changing. The other thing you can look for is the walk/don’t walk signs. Often times you can see them counting down as you approach the intersection. It all part of your vision “scanning”,. Lastly, you should get training on how to “cover” the brake.

Tim F. suggests:

Lastly, you should get training on how to “cover” the brake.

Cover the brake when approaching an intersection:

1. Right foot off the accelerator
2. Rest toes on brake
3. When you commit to the intersection, move right foot back to accelerator, use as needed.
4. Continue to drive safely, watching ahead for changing conditions.

A little something I want to add to what has already been posted: each time I am approaching a green light, I look to pick the go/no-go spot as I am making that approach. If the light turns, I will already have decided whether I'm going to brake or continue. I think that is much better than just waiting until the light turns and then working on a decision. If I have a student driving, I ask them to tell me when they are at the go/no-go spot so that they can develop this habbit. With this habbit firmly established, you'll never have hard brakes due to lights and you'll be safer.

If you are approaching an expiring green light and it's ready to turn yellow at any moment... how do you handle such a situation? Do you slowly start braking, coast or accelerate?

Also, I know this is off-topic, but do you know if you can you have html tags in the subject line for lets say to make a word italicized?

Also look at the cross walk sign. If its counting down in seconds or if it shows walk.

Thanks guys, very useful.