A new intersection design eliminates the dreaded left turn into traffic

Anyone who has ever made a left turn in a busy intersection understands that it can be a stressful maneuver. Not only do you have to wait impatiently for a break in the stream of cars coming the opposite direction, you often hold up a line of traffic, and even risk getting into a collision if other drivers aren’t following the rules of the road.

But despite how standard it may seem to turn left into traffic, that's actually not an inevitable part of driving. There's an intersection design that could save you all that trouble.

The “diverging diamond interchange” creates designated ramps that gradually direct cars to veer left or right, without ever requiring them to cross in front of ongoing traffic.

Though it might look complicated, it’s actually a simple concept. Say, for example, that you’re driving from west to east. As you come to the intersection, a red light may stop you as you let cars going the other way pass. (This is the only time streams of traffic cross each other.) If you want to turn right, a lane peels off and merges with the road carrying southbound cars. If you want to turn left, you just follow the ramp that veers to the north.

Watch it in action: