3D Crosswalk Tested to Make Roads Safer|試辦"3D斑馬線" 助駕駛提早減速

The Taipei City Government is trying out the idea of 3D crosswalks to make roads safer. The high tech crosswalk features yellow and green colors and is supposed to remind drivers to slow down when they near intersections. This was a road safety idea inspired by Iceland. If you think zebra crossings are black and white, think again. A crosswalk in Taipei now has green and yellow colors added to the original white stripes to create a 3-D optical illusion. The authorities hope to introduce more prominent, ingenious 3-D pedestrian crossings like this in a bid to slow motorists down as they appear to be an "obstacle" in the road. When a car approaches, there is no impression. But if you walk up to it, the road feels like 3D. Normal crosswalks get slippery in the rain. Don't know if (it rains) whether (the 3D effect) will increase the road's slipperiness. This is near the Songshan High School of Agriculture and Industry in Taipei. There are no traffic lights, but this is a busy traffic route because it is a shortcut for many drivers. It is here that the first 3D crosswalk is being tested. The next location to test the 3D crosswalk will be at the intersection of Dunhua and Minsheng roads. But will this method be able to change driving behavior? The city government has installed a special camera to collect data. We still need to monitor its effectiveness. If people see this, they should step on the brakes. We need to monitor the proportion of braking and to what degree. Also (we need to see) if the number of accidents at this intersection is reduced. City traffic engineering authorities say they were inspired by Iceland. The markings in Iceland are designed to show gray and black shadows that appear as if the crosswalk floats off the road. It is a signal for drivers to pay attention and slow down. In Taipei, worried that gray and black would not be easily seen, city officials chose to use yellow and green colors. They say they will review the results in half a year.