Four Products to Help Ensure Pedestrian Safety

From 2016 to 2017 in the United States, pedestrian fatalities and injuries jumped by 11%, and just under 6,000 pedestrians died during this time frame. This is the highest number of pedestrian fatalities in 20 years, and it's the single most significant increase in a year on record.

Several factors contributed to this dramatic increase, including increased traffic due to reduced gas prices, more pedestrians out and about, more ways for pedestrians to travel, and a lot more distractions.

The distractions go for both pedestrians and automobile drivers. Smartphones have seen a popularity explosion in the past few years, and it's not uncommon to see drivers on their phones or texting and pedestrians do this as well.

Vehicle speeds play a large role in the increased fatality rates as well. If a car strikes a pedestrian going just 20 miles an hour, the pedestrian has a 10% chance of not surviving. Increase the vehicle speeds to 40 miles an hour and the likelihood of dying increases to 80%.

Dornbos Sign & Safety Inc. manufactures and sells products that can help federal, state and local road agencies protect pedestrians and reduce fatality rates.

Solar Pedestrian Signs

Solar pedestrian signs are a fast and easy way to get drivers and pedestrians to pay attention to the surrounding area. These signs are very bright and bold, and are designed to catch and keep people's attention. They don't require any power source as they run on solar power, but they do come with batteries in case they don't get enough sunlight. You can see them day and night, and you can pick from a few colors.

You can place these solar pedestrian signs at crosswalks, intersections, high traffic areas, bicycle paths, by playgrounds and schools, and much more. It's a low maintenance and low-cost solution to the rising pedestrian fatality rates. These types of lights work well in just about any environment, and manufacturers make them out of sturdy materials for added durability.

Traffic Cones

The construction industry has utilized  traffic cones for decades as a visual warning for motorists to alert them of changing road conditions or potential hazards. They're very cost-effective, incredibly bright, and hard to miss. You can purchase plain orange traffic cones or cones with reflective strips so you can see them 24 hours a day. They also come in a variety of sizes, and they're very lightweight.

Traffic cones are helpful for people who want to mark bicycle and pedestrian paths, intersections, or crosswalks. Because they're so lightweight, they're simple to readjust or move around as you need to reposition them. They're durable, and they can spring back to their original shape if they get run over or crushed. Additionally, you can purchase cones with handles, so they're extremely easy to pick up and take with you.

Navicade Channelizers

A  Navicade channelizeing cone resembles a thinner and taller traffic cone. They work well in high-traffic areas or areas where there are more narrow roads or pathways. Navicade channelizers come in bright orange with white strips of reflective tape, so they're easy to see even at night and in less than perfect weather conditions. The bottoms are a durable and wide rubber base that helps it balance and stay in place.

Navicade channelizers are lightweight and easy to maneuver. You can also purchase models with a wide handle at the top that allows you to move them around. They're also very easy to place in a wide variety of environments without problems. Rough bicycle paths, uneven streets, narrow crosswalks, and more areas would work well. It'll grab people's attention and let them know that pedestrians could be coming through these spaces.

Barricades

Small or large  barricades are easy and affordable ways to direct traffic effectively and safely. If you have larger areas where vehicles shouldn't go, these barricades provide a bright barrier to warn people to stay out. They're also effective for marking walkways, bicycle paths, festival grounds, and more. These barricades come in orange and white, so they're highly visible.

There are a few different barricade heights and widths you can choose from, so it's easy to tailor them to your needs. They're slightly sturdier than traditional traffic cones, and you can get optional flashing lights to attach to the top of the barricades to help ensure that pedestrians and motorists see them. You can use them on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, and they're lightweight enough that you can move them around quickly.

No matter how large or small your space is, if pedestrians frequent the area, it's important to keep everyone safe. These four products are an easy and cost-effective way to ensure that pedestrians and motors pay attention, even with all of the distractions available today.