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Horticutral Lighting
Pedestrian crossings, designed as safe zones on busy roads, ironically remain a significant risk factor. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a staggering 1.19 million lives are lost in road traffic crashes annually, with a disproportionate number occurring in urban areas. Tragically, one-third of these urban pedestrian fatalities happen at crossings themselves. Inadequate lighting is a major contributor to this grim statistic. It hinders both drivers and pedestrians from identifying hazards and avoiding collisions, especially during low-light conditions like early mornings and nights.
To address this issue, AGC offers specific and cost-effective solutions to enhance pedestrian safety at crossings. Here are some practical tips on how to achieve this:
1. Uniform Illumination and Minimizing Glare
The key to adequate pedestrian crossing lighting lies in achieving uniform illumination. This ensures the entire crossing area, including the walkway and surrounding zones, is well-lit. However, creating excessive glare for drivers can be counterproductive. The ideal solution strikes a balance, providing clear visibility for pedestrians while minimizing discomfort for motorists.
2. Highlighting the Crossing with Contrast
The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) establishes recommendations for road lighting, encompassing pedestrian crossings. While these guidelines are adapted by national standardization bodies, a harmonized international definition for optimal pedestrian crossing lighting design remains elusive. However, existing regulations generally advocate for high-contrast lighting to maximize the crossing's visibility.
This can be achieved by utilizing light sources with varying color temperatures or light intensity levels. This delineation sets the crossing area apart from the surrounding road surface, making it readily noticeable for drivers.
3. Optimizing Illumination Planes: Horizontal and Vertical
Horizontal illuminance ensures clear pedestrian visibility as they approach and utilize the crossing. Drivers naturally focus approximately 100 meters ahead at a slight downward angle. Consequently, ensuring they can swiftly detect pedestrians is essential. Asymmetrical lighting solutions provide a high level of vertical illuminance on pedestrians from a driver's perspective. Remember, an average driver traveling at 50 km/h requires roughly 43 meters to stop. The calculation of optimal illuminance should encompass both horizontal and vertical planes. It should extend to the entire road width and the full pedestrian crossing area, including the waiting zone.
4. Specialist Crossing Optics System
Studies indicate that well-designed lighting can reduce road accidents by up to 30%. AGC offers a solution: the Specialist Crossing Optics System. This system prioritizes visual comfort for both motorists and pedestrians, addressing the specific needs of your crossing. These luminaires feature specialized light distributions tailored to their placement on either side of the road and the direction of traffic flow.
For one-way traffic with a single lane, a single luminaire can effectively illuminate the crossing. However, two-way traffic with more than two lanes necessitates a minimum of two diagonally mounted luminaires to create a positive contrast effect.
AGC's specialized optics are compatible with a wide range of luminaires. This allows us to illuminate the entire crossing width and extend lighting beyond the immediate area, ensuring sufficient visibility for approaching pedestrians and drivers.
We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions for improving pedestrian crossing safety. These solutions can significantly reduce the risk of accidents involving both motorists and pedestrians. AGC welcomes further discussions to assist you with any pedestrian crossing project.
