A conventional intersection on a four-lane divided highway has 40 conflict points. Each conflict point has some level of exposure and risk which can lead to crashes. The most severe crashes typically occur when vehicles are attempting to cross or turn left on these roadways.

An RCUT intersection reduces the number and type of conflict points and simplifies driver’s decision-making. In this design, a driver focuses on one direction of traffic at a time. An RCUT intersection eliminates crossing and left turn conflicts by having the driver make a right turn first, then proceeding to a crossover location. This eliminates the conflict points with the highest risk for severe injuries, and significantly reduces the overall amount of conflict points at the intersection.

The Federal Highway Administration has found that RCUT intersections reduce fatal and injury crashes by over 50% and have named them as one of its
proven safety countermeasures, which is a collection of safety treatments and strategies that have been researched at a national level and found to be effective at reducing fatal and injury crashes nationwide. Similar results have been found in Wisconsin, resulting in locations experiencing over 70% reduction in fatal and injury crashes.