Skip to main content

Latest pedestrian safety technology from McCain

Designed to boost driver awareness of pedestrians, McCain says its latest technology for pedestrian safety, the rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB), is widely recognised as a means to reduce accidents between vehicles and pedestrians at intersections and mid-block crosswalks without traffic signals. An ideal solution for a range of applications, the RRFB has highly visible high-intensity LEDs which remain dark until activated by a pedestrian, when the lights flash in a wig-wag pattern, alerting appr
March 19, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Designed to boost driver awareness of pedestrians, 772 McCain says its latest technology for pedestrian safety, the rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB), is widely recognised as a means to reduce accidents between vehicles and pedestrians at intersections and mid-block crosswalks without traffic signals.

An ideal solution for a range of applications, the RRFB has highly visible high-intensity LEDs which remain dark until activated by a pedestrian, when the lights flash in a wig-wag pattern, alerting approaching vehicles that pedestrians are present.

According to McCain, RRFBs are rapidly gaining popularity as an inexpensive and effective alternative for improving compliance and facilitating pedestrian crossing manoeuvres; generally delivering driver compliance of around 80 per cent.

Following an extensive study confirming the effectiveness, the 831 Federal Highway Administration issued an interim approval of the RRFB in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). According to the approval, the RRFB offers “significant potential safety and cost benefits, because it achieves very high rates of compliance at a very low relative cost in comparison to other more restrictive devices that provide comparable results, such as full midblock signalisation.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Terrestrial solution to stellar shortcomings
    December 5, 2013
    Inherent weaknesses in satellite communications are leading several countries to re-evaluate terrestrial-based backup systems. There is a tale frequently told in satellite navigation circles, of how landing systems at Newark Airport were disrupted by a truck driver using GPS jamming equipment as he drove along the New Jersey Turnpike. While there was no threat to flight safety as the interference to GPS reference stations being tested, the story highlights how apparently benign threats have the potential t
  • Traffic management market ‘worth US$16.89 billion by 2019’
    July 14, 2014
    A recent study by MarketdsandMarkets, Traffic Management Market by Solutions, Displays & Systems (Full Pedestrian, Parking Space and Toll Management, Above Ground Pedestrian and Vehicle Detection) - Global Advancements, Projects, Worldwide Forecast & Analysis (2014 - 2019) analysed and studied the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Western Europe, CIS and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The study reports that the traffic manageme
  • Dynamic lane closures cuts time, cost and congestion on Motorway roadworks
    March 17, 2014
    A combination of technologies is leading to major congestion and cost reductions during roadworks on the UK’s motorway network. Innovative construction programme scheduling technology and the deployment of moveable barriers has achieved substantial savings of money and time on UK motorway roadworks managed by the Highways Agency (HA). This combination has set the scene for a new generation of road usage analysis tools. The HA’s objective was to reduce the congestion caused by lane closures during roa
  • University develops rail crossing safety technology
    June 14, 2013
    Technology developed by Melbourne’s La Trobe University’s Centre for Technology Infusion that aims to reduce or even eliminate accidents at railway level crossings is to be trialled by the Queensland government as part of a $2 million commitment to address safety at rail crossings. The system uses GPS and dedicated short range communications (DSRC) wireless technology to establish a wireless connection between trains and vehicles approaching a railway crossing. The system is designed to detect the possibili