MARYLAND SCHOOL ADOPTS COST-EFFECTIVE TRAFFIC SOLUTION

Each year almost 6,000 pedestrians are killed at crosswalks and another 110,000 are injured. Among schoolchildren, the numbers far overshadow all deaths and injuries from both drugs and guns combined, according to U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. In Howard County, Maryland, a sun-blinded motorist struck 2 children in a crosswalk on their way to school. When school officials decided to install traffic signals to prevent similar accidents, they were faced with prohibitive costs and the fact that the site did not meet any of the 11 federal, state, or local criteria for traffic signal installation; other options were necessarily considered. This paper describes a Crosswalk Warning System (CWS) chosen by the County as the best safety alternative. The CWS consists of yellow-caution lights embedded in the road surface on both sides of a crosswalk that are activated by a pedestrian crosswalk push button (sensor activation is also available). The lights are beamed in both directions and flash once/second for 30 seconds. They are clearly seen at 200 yards in daylight and much farther at dusk or evening. The CWS is easy to install, cost-effective, and catches drivers' attention better than pole-mounted lights.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7529443
• Corporate Authors:

  International Municipal Signal Association

  165 East Union Street
  P.O. Box 539
  Newark, NY  United States  14513
• Authors:
  • Owens, Kieran
• Publication Date: 2000-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 50-51
• Serial:
  • IMSA Journal
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: International Municipal Signal Association
  • ISSN: 10642560
  • Serial URL: http://www.imsasafety.org

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Crosswalks; Fatalities; Injuries; Pedestrian safety; School children; School crossings; School safety; Traffic control devices; Traffic safety
• Candidate Terms: Crosswalk warning lights
• Identifier Terms: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Geographic Terms: Maryland
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00798680
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 6 2000 12:00AM