Crosswalks turn death traps for pedestrians in Kozhikode city

Data available with the District Crime Records Bureau (Kozhikode city) reveal that 120 pedestrians lost their lives on city roads between January 2021 and June 2024

Despite increasing incidents of pedestrian fatalities, crosswalks in Kozhikode city continue to be death traps due to the delay in the integration of advanced technologies and innovative safety systems. Partly visible or almost faded zebra crossings could be replaced with smart crosswalk options or pedestrian-operated pelican signal systems, stakeholders in the field say.

Though road rage is claimed to be the prime reason behind recurring pedestrian fatalities, there are no efforts yet to install at least blinker lights near poorly visible and hazardous crosswalks to alert motorists. The traditional signage and other warning boards indicating zebra crossings are also out of place in several locations.

Figures available with the District Crime Records Bureau (Kozhikode city) revealed that 120 pedestrians lost their lives on city roads between January 2021 and June 2024. This was apart from the death of seven cycle riders. The total number of accidents involving pedestrians alone was 1,442. Also, 1,093 pedestrians sustained grave injuries in the accidents.   

Police sources with the Kozhikode city traffic say efforts of various government departments are required to address concerns in the sector and to experiment with advanced safety options in place of the fading lines. They also point out that the cooperation of various stakeholders, including the Kerala Road Safety Authority, Public Works department, Motor Vehicles department and the local administrations, will be crucial for various innovative projects after conducting a proper study in the area.

“What we need is an improved system to make the drivers more alert about our crosswalks. There are even systems like Belisha beacons in foreign countries which we may not be able to try now for several reasons. We can at least begin with blinkers on either side of crosswalks to alert the drivers,” says a senior police officer with the city traffic enforcement wing. He also points out that overhead light signs can be another option to improve safety at night.

There are also police officers who propose the installation of pedestrian-operated pelican signal systems as an effective option. Though it can be costly, they point out that these systems can function very effectively in school zones and other busy areas. According to them, there are also smarter options like puffin or toucan crossings available depending upon the traffic volume and pedestrian movement.

At the same time, stringent enforcement of traffic rules by police and MVD squads continues to be one of the major demands put forth by various road safety forums. Members of Road Accident Action Forum say that drivers who ignore pedestrians’ safety at crosswalks should be given stricter punishments. They also seek the better utilisation of available road safety funds for the improvement of road safety measures.

Published - October 17, 2024 07:11 pm IST