Share with Direct Line your ideas to make pedestrian crossings safer - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED!

[EmmaMumsnet]

Direct Line have approached us to ask MNers for their ideas on how to make pedestrian crossing safer for pedestrians and motorists. Over 7,000 incidents are recorded each year at UK crossings between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians and Direct Line would like to hear your thoughts on how to improve them.

Rachael Lynch, Innovation Marketing Manager at Direct Line said; “72 per cent of UK adults feel crossings need to be updated and in October 2017 Direct Line developed the world’s smartest pedestrian crossing, the Smart Crossing. As we developed the technology, it became apparent that the potential for what could be done was far greater than we had initially imagined, which is why we have made the technology open source and are continuing to work with partners to explore ways to modernise the pedestrian crossing for all road users including pedestrians and motorists."

So please share below your most creative ideas for how to improve pedestrian crossings. Do also share your thoughts on the safety at pedestrian crossings and how you and your children were/are taught about road safety.

Everyone who comments on the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks,

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

If we are talking complete innovations, how about a sensors that stop the car automatically at red light and zebra crossings.

self driving technology should be able to help with that.

Rumble strips on the approach, there is a zebra crossing near me and it amazes me how many cars sail past people waiting to cross.

On traffic light crossings I like the ones in London that count down for pedestrians so you can judge if you have time to cross. That said light phases do need to be king enough.

Police should review local practices where cyclists aren't stopping for red lights, that is hugely dangerous for everyone.

I think the warnings that you are approaching a zebra crossing need to be much clearer: often they are so badly lit that drivers are going too fast to be able to stop. My solution would probably be a combination of better lighting, rumble strips on approach, and perhaps one of those flashing lights (a little bit like the ones that warn you you're approaching a level crossing).

often they are so badly lit that drivers are going too fast to be able to stop.

then they are driving too fast.

i think it should be lit up both ends with flashing lights and cat eyes down the middle of the road.

Much clearer warnings for approaching traffic.
Longer amount of time for pedestrians to cross.

speed bumps with 'slow down school' written on them on the approach to a school, in amber or red with cats. There are so many drivers who drive too fast past my school, makes my blood boil when we have no lollipop person and drivers 'avoid eye contact' pretending not to have seen you when you are waiting to cross with a buggy and a toddler - does this happen to anyone else or just me ?

Definitely put cameras on them. Unfortunately for most of the idiots who make these crossings dangerous, only the threat of a fine is enough to make them take notice.

Definitely more time to cross

Perhaps a speed bump for the crossing , would make drivers think and slow down in the first place

I think that teaching kids to be extra careful and not to trust that drivers will stop is a good idea. My DD sometimes follows rules with a worrying blind trust. I'm working on it! Extra lighting at crossings would also be good, and reflective bands or zips on kids coats and bags.

Better lighting at zebra crossing and bright (luminous!) paint.

Also I've found I sometimes I see a car go through lights at green/turning amber and then 3 or sometimes even 4 drive through after it! Maybe there could be some sensor that beams a big spotlight on these idiots and loud voice shouts WANKER at them.

Cameras on certain targeted traffic lights, like speed cameras, with fines for drivers who run red lights. There's one traffic light near me where this happens all the time on the left-turn filter light. Not sure why but it's really dangerous to cross there.

Automatic fines for drivers who drive over the crossing when people are on it (would need cameras at all crossings)

Speed bumps both side of the crossing. Better lighting, warning signs more visible.

Plenty of lights shining on the road for nighttime so pedestrians can be clearly seen while crossing

More crossings on large roads. There is a busy road near us and cars park on the footpath making it impossible to get by or cross the road.
Also not have orange flashing lights for drivers it confuses every9

I think more lighting on crossings would definitely help. With the dark nights - it can be difficult to see people waiting or crossing. I also feel that cctv recording drivers would certainly deter some of the behaviour we have all witnessed from.drivers.

Timings seem to be a big thing where I live. There is one crossing in particular that DH and I, 2 fit, able bodied adults, struggle to cross in time. We often see parents with young children, the elderly and those with disabilities only half way across the road before the traffic lights are green again.
They also have done away with the audible notifications on the new crossings so those with seeing difficulties, or even those looking away for a short time, miss when the man turns green to cross.

Something to alert the driver prior to arriving at the crossing to warn them to be more alert and slow down. Maybe change the colour or the tarmac to red a certain distance before the crossing or make the road bumpy like at some junctions or maybe use smart lighting. There could be technology in the car that links to something in the road alerting the driver that they are nearing a crossing

Can't they put in the technology that they have in supermarkets to stop trolleys leaving certain areas? So if you pressed the button to cross some sort of magnetic field would stop cars from crossing until it was clear.

Our zebra crossing has had the lollipop lady taken away, so now no cars take notice about stopping. Even at home time on the school run.
The amount of times I have waited until it's safe, got nearly half way across with a Pram an 8 year old AND have still nearly been run over is unreal, and most of the people that have done are normally looking at a phone!
Bring back the Trafic lights, Lolipop men/ladies and put speed bumps just before to make them slow down would be great!
A lot of drivers are too busy checking social media than looking at the road!

Campaign to remind motorists that stopping for people on a zebra crossing isn't actually optional! More points on your licence and higher fines for people caught on cameras skipping red lights or not stopping for people on zebra crossings.

iceland and germany are trialling 3d effect zebra crossings.

www.google.co.uk/amp/metro.co.uk/2017/10/30/village-has-cool-3d-zebra-crossing-that-helps-to-slow-down-cars-7037776/amp/

Better lighting or indication that a zebra crossing is coming up as it can be hard to see them in unfamiliar areas.

My big worry is the ones that are near other traffic lights so when there is a queue of traffic one way, but free flowing the other way it would be a massive danger to anyone crossing as you can't see clearly.

and please put them near schools where they are most needed! Took years for our school to get a crossing and even now sometimes cars don't respect it and don't stop when there are kids waiting to cross.