New York could be a pioneer of these floor traffic lights in the US. Across the country, more road traffic safety authorities are employing the use of new technologies to assist them in making the roads a safer place for all road users. New York has been particularly active in this regard, with the state building up a strong network of red-light and automated speeding camera technologies as well as putting concentrated efforts into preventing daylighting practices. With this robust technological system in place, the state could be the first to introduce this technology from overseas.
New York continues to introduce new road traffic safety technologies
New York, specifically New York City, has been a prime example of how road traffic authorities can rely on the assistance of technology to help them implement the laws of the road. With a population of approximately 8.5 million individuals, keeping a functioning and safe road traffic system is imperative.
As such, the City was one of the first locations in New York, and the country to begin introducing red-light and automated speed camera technologies to crack down on catching drivers who continue to run red lights and drive over the speed limit.
Today, New York City boasts a network of over 2,000 automated red-light and speed cameras, with the City seeing success in reducing instances of these offences by drivers.
“NYC use of safety cameras has shown significant success,” describes a 2018 review by the Federal Highway Administration. “A 63 percent decrease in speed in school zones where safety cameras were present has been reported. Additionally, a 15 percent decrease in crashes, a 17 percent reduction in injuries, and a 55 percent reduction in fatalities…”
Could New York City be the first to introduce floor traffic lights?
While NYC may boast an impressive advancement in road traffic safety technology, there is still inspiration to be gained. In South Korea, authorities in the capital city Seoul have introduced ‘floor traffic lights,’ whereby the city has installed LED traffic lights in the ground at crosswalks so that pedestrians who are on their phones are aware of the signal changes. The technology was implemented in response to the number of pedestrians who continue to use their phones when crossing the road and do not pay attention to their surroundings.
In 2020, over half of Seoul’s traffic fatalities were pedestrians, with many of these accidents as a result from their crossing the street. While it would be ideal that pedestrians do not use their phones at all when crossing the street, the floor traffic lights are just one of many strategies South Korea is employing to make its roads safer. With New York City having some of the highest foot traffic in the country, and also grappling with pedestrians using their phones while walking, this technology could be a great addition to the city’s technological road traffic network to enhance the safety of pedestrians.
Confirmed traffic changes coming to NYC soon
While floor traffic lights remain an initiative not yet seen in the US, New York City residents can expect other confirmed changes and additions coming to their streets to protect pedestrians and other road users. Many locations across the city will see new speed limits introduced for a variety of road users, including passenger vehicle drivers and e-bike users.
These reductions in speed are intended to reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents, thanks to speeding drivers. According to data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), speeding accounted for nearly one-third of all road traffic fatalities in 2023. Ergo, it remains critical for road traffic safety authorities across the country to continue to crack down on repeat offenders who continue to speed.
