Thousands of pedestrians are severely injured and hundreds more are killed every year in the streets of America. While pedestrians themselves are often at fault (such as texting when walking), a majority of them are injured or killed by drunk drivers. Clearly, rules and regulations are not enough to prevent accidents; the answer lies in the use of advanced technologies. If you are injured in an accident, only skilled pedestrian accident attorneys can help you. Here are five new technologies that will make streets safer for pedestrians.
- Safewalk by Traficon - SafeWalk, developed by Traficon, a Belgium-based technology company, is a 3D stereo vision sensor that detects the presence of pedestrians at crossings and manages traffic lights more dynamically to increase pedestrian safety. It combines 3D stereo vision technology with intelligent image processing technology to convert 2D images captured by the camera to 3D information. The result is faster and more accurate information about the surroundings. This sensor intelligently detects pedestrians standing at curbside, waiting to cross the road and approaching the crosswalk with the intention of crossing the road. When it detects a pedestrian present, it activates the go light, and when there is no pedestrian present, it activates the stop light. It is suitable for use at crossings. It also offers increased safety at mid-block crossings, such as at crossings near schools and hospitals.
- Advanced Driver Assistance System by Mobileye - Most accidents occur due to driver inattention in the three seconds before a collision, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Advanced Driver Assistance System developed by Mobileye, an Israeli technology company, is designed to address this problem. This smartphone-connected, in-car safety device acts as the driver’s third eye. It alerts the driver to imminent collisions, unintended lane departures, and the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists on the road. It even comes with the ability to read speed limit signs and high beams. When a collision with a pedestrian or bicyclist is imminent, it gives an audio visual warning of up to two seconds before the collision.
- Kapten Plus Pedestrian GPS - Kapten Plus Pedestrian GPS is a voice-controlled navigation system designed for use by blind and visually-impaired pedestrians. But it can also be used by people with normal vision. It uses global positioning satellite (GPS) to identify locations and announce the same to the user (using a speech synthesizer), and provide directions to specific locations (again using a speech synthesizer). The user can record and replay selected itineraries using the track mode. A recording feature called K-tag allows the users to save addresses, attach a voice memo, and be notified when passing near favorite places. It also facilitates navigation by combining street navigation with city rail public transport.
- Pedestrian Switch Pad by Traffic Tech - Pedestrian Switch Pads, developed by Traffic Tech, an Australian technology company, are tactile (pressure-sensitive) pads designed for use on pedestrian ramps. In drive-through windows at restaurants, they are used to detect approaching cars. They serve as a supplementary call button as well as to cancel an order if it is vacated. The pad has a row of bumps, each containing a highly sensitive switch. When a pedestrian steps on the pad, these switches are individually activated to signal his/her presence and direction of movement. If installed in on crosswalks, these pads can make life easier for pedestrians and dramatically reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
- Driverless Cars - Driverless cars, also called autonomous cars, are already here and they are expected to be ubiquitous in the streets of the future. These cars are capable of sensing their environment and navigating without human input. They detect their surrounding using a variety of technologies, such as radar, lidar, odometry, GPS and artificial vision. Driverless cars navigate around people and obstacles, stop and wait for pedestrians at crosswalks, and signal to the pedestrians when it is time to stop or move. These cars are expected to reduce traffic accidents by 90% or even more.