The last time 40 cars doing 60mph are brought to a screeching standstill by one single car turning left across their pathway - its weight activates the traffic light, regardless of how many cars are coming or their speed. By the time the light turns green, another 40 cars have built up behind them & now you have a jam of 80 cars caused by one car wanting to turn left.

With the real-time data of 40 cars going in direction A, with one car wanting to go in direction B, the traffic lights should sense this, make a decision, and allow the 40 cars to pass before changing the light for the solitary car.

Suggest in future all cars have a transmitter built in that traffic lights can 'read' and collate data to help manage and optimize passing traffic - so creating less traffic jams.