In Houston, Texas, traffic congestion has worsened following Hurricane Beryl, which caused widespread power outages affecting thousands of traffic lights across the city.
Many intersections either have completely darkened lights or are flashing red. Houston Public Works reported that their crews are manually resetting each traffic light, but as of now, they have only restored about half of the 2,500 intersections under their responsibility.
Drivers are facing chaotic conditions on the roads. “It’s been terrible,” said Matt Yust to ABC13. “People are not following traffic laws. It’s a free-for-all, for sure.”
When traffic lights are out, drivers are instructed to treat the intersection as a four-way stop. Brad Coleman, owner of Safeway Driving, emphasized the rules: “First one there goes first. If two cars arrive simultaneously, the car on the right has the right of way.”
However, drivers have observed that not everyone seems to be familiar with these rules. “You have to be extremely cautious and watchful of every direction before attempting to proceed, even if it’s your turn,” said Sabrina Boyett.
The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has compounded stress with storm cleanup efforts. “People are dealing with so many concerns—power outages, feeding their families—and then encountering non-functioning traffic lights. It can lead to confusion and drivers freezing up,” explained Coleman.
