An example of how to improve safety at selected pedestrian crossings

Abstract

Road safety continues to be a critical issue, especially for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians walking across the road at a place designated for the purpose. The most effective method of safety improvement at pedestrian crossings is to install traffic lights to control traffic. Such a solution cannot be used anywhere, however, due to the risk of the lack of flow capacity, especially in the area of nearby junctions. Therefore, persons responsible for traffic safety look for alternatives to improve the situation at pedestrian crossings. To meet the expectations of those persons, this article proposes mechatronic systems which are worth installing at selected pedestrian crossings to improve safety and reduce the number of traffic incidents involving vulnerable people. Three pedestrian crossings, considered dangerous by the authors, and located in the town of Nowy Sącz, were taken for analysis. Among the safety features, the use of an active sign informing of a pedestrian crossing, reflective elements and LED lights embedded in asphalt, as well as active pedestrian crossing illumination, are suggested. The proposed solutions are distinguished by low operating costs, as energy needed to power those solutions is obtained from photovoltaic panels.