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Are Hybrid Crosswalks the Answer to Rising Pedestrian Accidents in California?

The unfortunate fact about California roads is that we lead the country in pedestrian accidents. This is certainly not a statistic to be proud of yet many people believe that there is not much that can be done about it. The good news is that there are some new ideas involving how to reduce these accidents. One idea is a hybrid crosswalk.

Keep reading to find out how these systems work and how they may be able to help reduce pedestrian deaths and accidents. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident or have lost a loved one in this type of accident, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for your free legal consultation.

How Hybrid Crosswalk Systems Work

There are a few places in the country that are already testing out hybrid crosswalks with good results. Essentially, this is a crosswalk system in which the pedestrian activates it when they are ready to cross. When it’s activated, a yellow light flashes to tell drivers they need to slow down and be careful.

After a few moments of flashing, the light turns to a solid yellow and then turns red. This tells the motorist that it is time to stop and let the pedestrian cross. The pedestrian can begin crossing and after a few seconds, the pedestrian will get a flashing orange hand that shows them their light is about to turn off and allow cars to pass.

The Advantages of Hybrid Crosswalk Systems

These crosswalks are great benefit because they can reduce pedestrian accidents without requiring the community to install a traffic light. In fact, according to studies of the communities that have used these crosswalks, they reduce pedestrian accidents by 70%. The pedestrians have plenty of time to cross while the community does not have to install an actual crosswalk.

While it may be state law that cars are required to stop at marked crosswalks when a pedestrian is present, this is not always what happens. In some cases, drivers may not know it is the law. In other cases, they may be traveling too fast to stop safely when they see a pedestrian. These hybrid systems alert the driver that there is a pedestrian ready to cross.

Some Areas Could Benefit More Than Others

There are some areas in particular that can benefit most from these hybrid crosswalks. This includes crosswalks where the speed limit is equal to or greater than 40 miles per hour, high traffic areas with limited visibility near the crosswalk, or crosswalks with heavy pedestrian traffic or near schools.

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident then we welcome your call to The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation. We will work with you to help hold the at-fault party accountable. Call today and let’s get started.