Cross the street safely with warning lights

In the context of heavy traffic in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring pedestrian safety when crossing the street is always one of the top priorities of the city government.

In the context of heavy traffic in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring pedestrian safety when crossing the street is always one of the top priorities of the city government. In the Ton Duc Thang street area (Ben Nghe ward, District 1), measures such as installing a pedestrian crossing warning light system have brought about positive changes, contributing to reducing the risk of accidents and raising people's awareness of obeying traffic laws.

Reduce accidents

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Phuoc, who lives on Ngo Van Nam Street, shared that before the traffic light system was installed, crossing the street in this area made her feel insecure, afraid of collisions or accidents. Since the clear painted lines and traffic light system were installed, Ms. Phuoc feels much more secure. In particular, the warning lights for pedestrians help her easily recognize the right time to cross the street, avoiding crossing when vehicles are still moving, minimizing the risk of accidents. This system is also very useful for the elderly, pregnant women, children or people with slow reflexes, helping them feel more confident when moving through crowded streets.

Pedestrian warning lights on Ton Duc Thang Street (District 1, HCMC) have just been installed.

Similarly, Mr. Bui Khac Son, a resident on Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, said that in the past, accidents involving pedestrians were quite common, especially during rush hour or in bad weather conditions such as rain and fog that reduce visibility. “Since the traffic light and warning light system was installed, I have been able to cross the street more easily and safely. Warning lights attract the attention of road users and help them stop properly, while pedestrians only need to press the button and wait for the light to turn green to be able to cross safely,” Mr. Son shared.

Pedestrian safety

Mr. Do Ngoc Hai, Head of the Department of Road Traffic Infrastructure Management, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, said that the traffic light and pedestrian crossing system not only helps people determine the safe time to cross the street but also helps reduce accidents, especially at intersections with high traffic volume such as Ton Duc Thang Street. This system also has the ability to automatically adjust the red and green light times based on data on traffic and pedestrian volume, helping to optimize traffic processes, reduce congestion and promote compliance among traffic participants.

In addition, Mr. Hai also emphasized that the two pedestrian light systems sponsored free of charge by businesses have shown initial effectiveness in improving pedestrian safety and raising awareness of traffic regulations. This support not only helps reduce the burden on the state budget but also demonstrates active coordination between parties in building and maintaining the urban traffic infrastructure system.

However, to replicate the system, it will take time to evaluate the suitability, compatibility with other traffic light systems as well as the durability of this new technology. Currently, this technology is still quite new and there are no official standards, so the Department of Construction is reviewing and evaluating some intersections with high traffic volume to propose appropriate solutions in the near future.

According to Mr. Hai, the installation of warning lights and clear painted lines not only helps pedestrians easily recognize safe times to cross the street but also promotes awareness of traffic law compliance, reducing red light running and crossing in inappropriate places. The coordination between vehicles and pedestrians in a civilized traffic environment contributes to improving the image of the city, demonstrating the government's focus on building a modern, safe and civilized urban environment.

In the coming time, the Department of Construction of Ho Chi Minh City will coordinate with businesses to continue to expand the installation of this system on roads with high traffic density and complex intersections to create more favorable and safe conditions for the community. The coordination between businesses, authorities and people is the key to building a safer, more modern and civilized traffic environment for Ho Chi Minh City.

Stages of operation of pedestrian crossing warning lights

Phase 1: When the button is activated, the traffic light for vehicles crossing the route changes from flashing yellow to green for 30 seconds. At this time, the traffic continues to pass safely to avoid sudden damage to the driver, the pedestrian signal light simultaneously turns red. The pedestrian crossing lights on the sidewalk turn red, warning pedestrians to stop and wait in a safe position.

Phase 2: After the green traffic light timer on the traffic light pole ends, the traffic light for vehicles on the route turns yellow for 3 seconds and then continues to turn red (about 20 seconds) for vehicles to stop and wait before the pedestrian crossing. At this time, the pedestrian signal light turns green, the sidewalk indicator lights turn green for pedestrians to cross the street.

Phase 3: After the red traffic light timer on the traffic light pole ends, the traffic light for vehicles turns yellow for 3 seconds and then flashes yellow for vehicles to continue. At this time, the pedestrian crossing lights on the sidewalk turn off the green light, ending the operation.

QUOC HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/di-bo-qua-duong-an-toan-nho-den-canh-bao-post798496.html