Innovative solutions for improving safety at pedestrian crossings

Many pedestrians in Poland are killed or injured while crossing the road. This paper gives an overview of innovative solutions aimed at improving safety of pedestrian crossings: automatic pedestrian detection, dynamic traffic signs and better lighting systems. Among the pedestrian detection systems, video technology with image analysis seems to be the most promising solution for the future – its problems, recent developments and advantages are presented. Pedestrian detectors are already utilized by dynamic traffic signs which include pulsating lights mounted on “pedestrian crossing” signs, activated when pedestrians waiting to cross are detected