Securing Pedestrian Safety Using Spotlighting, Floor Signal Lights, and Logo Projectors
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Last year, Mr. Lee ?? from Balsan 1-dong said, “There are many schools clustered in the neighborhood, and many students walk while looking at their smartphones, raising concerns about traffic accidents,” and suggested, “I hope there will be measures for the safety of smartphone users, such as audible pedestrian signals and floor signs to prevent accidents.”
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) announced that it has installed ‘Smart Crosswalks’ for the safety of both pedestrians and drivers.
According to 2019 statistics from the Road Traffic Authority, 21.7% of all pedestrian fatal accidents occurred within crosswalks, with the highest incidence (28.5%) between 6 PM and 10 PM.
Accordingly, the district selected five high-risk areas for traffic accidents (including the Myeongdeok Girls' High School intersection) based on big data analysis of traffic accidents and floating population, in consultation with related organizations such as Gangseo Police Station and Gangseo Road Office, and installed ‘Smart Crosswalks’ there first.
The ‘Smart Crosswalk’ is a traffic safety facility that uses smart technologies such as artificial intelligence sensors and the Internet of Things to help pedestrians cross the street safely.
The AI sensors recognize pedestrians standing in front of the crosswalk at night and shine focused lights to secure the driver’s visibility, while the logo projector displays accident prevention messages such as “Using a smartphone while walking is dangerous” on the road surface to raise pedestrian awareness.
There is also a voice guidance function that issues warnings such as “It is dangerous, please do not enter the roadway” when jaywalking, and “Look left and right before crossing” during the pedestrian signal.
For the safety of the ‘Smombie’ generation who walk while looking at their smartphones, LED floor signals that allow pedestrians to know the current signal just by looking down will also be installed within this month.
In addition, the district installed runway-type crosswalks at four side roads near Hagok High School and Myeongdeok High School, where pedestrian safety was insufficient due to the lack of traffic lights despite the concentration of schools.
The runway-type crosswalk installs LED markers on both sides of the crosswalk floor, helping both pedestrians and drivers easily recognize and pay attention to the crosswalk, thereby ensuring safety effectively.
The district plans to expand smart crosswalks mainly in areas vulnerable to pedestrian safety after a pilot operation of smart crosswalks this year.
A district official said, “We expect the installation of smart crosswalks to greatly help prevent traffic accidents,” and added, “We will do our best to create an environment where residents can walk safely from traffic accidents by utilizing various smart technologies.”
For more details, contact the Smart City Division of Gangseo-gu Office.
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