Richard J. wrote:

But you actually went on to say ...

the evidence is that traffic lights make things worse

So, if they make things worse, what do you think their useful purpose is?

Traffic lights can, if used sensibly, alleviate problems at some
interchanges and serve a useful function in ramp metering. They are not
a universal panacea but that is how they have been treated by the lazy
and incompetent.