JOIN USPedestrians, the most vulnerable users of road space, will now be more visible to drivers in the Netherlands with the inauguration of a new luminous pedestrian crossing in Brummen, west of Amsterdam.
Designed by the Dutch firm Lighted Zebra Crossing and installed free of charge for the municipality, this zebra crossing makes pedestrians more visible at night or during bad weather. Each of the lines on the road has two plates of lights that at night remain illuminated at all times and not only when there are people on them.
The placement of the lights assures less distraction to the motorist than light pillars as it helps drivers keep their visual attention on the road.
Trial tests were undertaken for 12 months. The design of the pedestrian crossing is intended for two types of roadways – one using brick paving and one for asphalt. In the case of the first, the lights are protected by a steel structure, while in the second they can be installed directly on the road surface.
According to company director Henk Peters, the crossings that should be given priority for potential installation are the so-called ‘risk zones’ – schools, hospitals, and sectors with a large population of elderly people.