Safe Turning Intersections

A 'Continuous Flow Intersection' is a piece of civil engineering designed to fix one of the most dangerous -- and most frustrating -- aspects of daily driving: the left turn.

Left turns at an intersection require cars to turn through oncoming traffic, a risky maneuver when done without attention and a bothersome one when other left-turning drivers are caught behind a tentative car. The Continuous Flow Intersection solves the problem by creating a turning lane far in advance of the actual intersection. In that lane, cars can cross over to the farthest left side of the road before making the 90-degree left turn, meaning that they only have to navigate perpendicular traffic.

Short of shifting to the roundabouts favored in the UK, the Continuous Flow Intersection is a clever design that could be easily accepted by North American drivers.