Making The Crosswalks In Your Development Safer
Protecting people using the crosswalks in your housing development or community does not have to be complicated. There are many systems available that can help make drivers more aware of the crosswalks and keep the kids and families using them safer.
Crosswalk Signs
One of the most basic options you can add to your crosswalk areas is a large sign that indicates there is a crosswalk coming soon. You may want to consider a sign with flashing LED lights in the face of it. These lights can help grab a driver's attention, making them more aware as they approach the crosswalk.
Most signs that have lights on them use solar power and a rechargeable battery, so you never have to worry about changing the batteries in the sign lights. There are some that only come on when the sun is setting as well. The signs are no harder to install than a standard street sign, and they can significantly reduce the risk of someone getting hit in the crosswalk.
In-Road Warning System
Another option that might work well in your community is an in-road warning light. The LEDs for this system are mounted in a stainless steel housing that has a solar panel on top and the lights around the outside ring. The housing is set into the pavement on either side of the crosswalk so that cars coming in both directions can see the lights flashing.
The lights in these systems can run for a long time on a single charge, and these systems typically only need a few hours of sun a day to stay fully charged. The LEDs are considered effective at quite a distance even in bright sunlight.
One benefit of these systems is that each light is a self-contained unit, so they are easy to install, and if one fails, you only need to replace that one light.
User-Activated Crossing Signals
These systems are commonly used in places where traffic is heavy, but there is no stoplight. The signal is mounted above the intersection like a stoplight, but it only comes on when someone pushes the activation button. The signal will display a red light for fifteen to twenty seconds then begin to flash red, allowing cars to proceed once the pedestrians are across the road.
After about a minute, the signal goes back to a flashing yellow or no signal at all until the next time someone wants to cross and activates the system.
To learn more about the available options for pedestrian crosswalk systems, contact a company like Lanelight.