Conflict points

Conflict points are where a vehicle needs to slow to change direction, cross the path of other vehicles or merge into another lane of vehicles. These are potentially the most dangerous maneuvers a driver has to perform. To reduce the number of conflict points the road junctions can be made into a roundabouts or have traffic lights (a signalled junctions).

At a crossroad there are thirty-two conflict points, where a vehicle turns right, left or simply goes straight ahead and crosses the path of other vehicles, slows to leave the flow or merges with another flow. At each of the thirty-two points in the junction vehicles could crash into, or be crashed into, from the front, back or sides.

Simply by closing one of the approach roads so that there are three instead of four, the junction becomes in effect a tee. This reduces the potential conflict points from thirty-two to only nine.

Traffic lights (at a signalled junction) and various forms of roundabouts also reduce the number of conflict points.