Skip to main content

Dutch town pilots traffic light for distracted pedestrians

The Dutch town of Bodegraven is piloting a new pedestrian traffic signal which it hopes will warn pedestrians staring at their mobile phones that they are about to cross the road. Developed by local firm HIG Traffic Systems, the +Lichtlijn or +Lightline, consists of an LED lighting strip in the pavement near intersections linked directly to traffic signals and changes from red to green to alert distracted pedestrians that they may safely cross. According to DutchNews, the Dutch road safety organisatio
February 16, 2017 Read time: 1 min
The Dutch town of Bodegraven is piloting a new pedestrian traffic signal which it hopes will warn pedestrians staring at their mobile phones that they are about to cross the road.

Developed by local firm HIG Traffic Systems, the +Lichtlijn or +Lightline, consists of an LED lighting strip in the pavement near intersections linked directly to traffic signals and changes from red to green to alert distracted pedestrians that they may safely cross.

According to DutchNews, the Dutch road safety organisation VVN said it did not think the new lighting would be a solution, saying it was rewarding bad behaviour.

Related Content

  • Flashing LEDs may cut ‘distracted walking’ risk
    March 24, 2020
    Flashing LED lights embedded into pavements could improve the safety of pedestrians distracted by their phones, says Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
  • Should it be end of the road for right-turns on red?
    April 10, 2024
    Banning right-hand turns after stopping for a red light is gaining momentum in the US. But the debate continues about whether it will result in fewer incidents between vehicles and alternative mobility users. David Arminas reports
  • Intelligent crossing points leads to safer future for pedestrians
    May 19, 2014
    An innovative project at a busy UK retail park could provide the blueprint for a new approach to pedestrian safety, according to its developers. The system utilised hard-wired active flashing LED road studs from Rennicks UK to delineate the crossing, in conjunction with LED warning signs from Swarco. Pole-mounted C-Walk pedestrian detectors from Flir activate the high performance LED studs to create a striking visual warning for motorists approaching an internal crossing at Giltbrook, near Nottingham.
  • MIT researchers hack into traffic lights
    August 22, 2014
    With permission from a local road agency, researchers in from the University of Michigan hacked into nearly 100 wirelessly networked traffic lights, highlighting security issues that they say are likely to pervade networked traffic infrastructure around the country. More than 40 states currently use such systems to keep traffic flowing as efficiently as possible, helping to reduce emissions and delays. The team, led by University of Michigan computer scientist J. Alex Halderman, found three major weaknes