Raised CrossWalk, a Solution to Street Safety For Everyone

“Crosswalk/Pedestrian crossing” is a crucial building block to street safety, and has been a critical issue in Thailand for a long time. Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thailand’s prime minister, issued an edict fixing the crosswalk throughout the country. However, it is important to note that effective reconstruction ensures street safety “for all” citizens.

I believe that “Crosswalk/Pedestrian crossing,” an inevitable cause of traffic accidents, has to be urgently fixed. Raised crosswalk acts as a speed bump that forces vehicles to slow down and increase the visibility between the driver and pedestrian. I have always been suggesting countless projects and related authorities to consider raised crosswalk construction, and am going to actively and continuously raising this issue.

Illustrated above is the recent reconstruction project at Asoke Intersection. Despite being modified into a raised crosswalk, the crosswalk is still not appropriately angled. As a result, vehicles are reluctant to stop. “I’m afraid that there will be an accident (car bumping crash)”, claimed project owner. Notwithstanding, I tried to reiterate the importance of pedestrians’ safety as much as I could.

In terms of traveling vehicles, Thailand has speed laws and regulations that also need improvement. However, a raised crosswalk makes decelerating the vehicles ‘involuntary’, otherwise, a car or motorcycle is going to bounce. If someone argues “Well, the car might get bumped”, “And how about the pedestrian’s safety?” – I would immediately reply.

To me that’s nice, Let them be bumped so then next time drivers will be more cautious about controlling their speed in the city. This is a city not a racing track.

#SafeStreetForAll – This is urgent!

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Reference:

City Design:
https://globaldesigningcities.org/publication/global-street-design-guide/

U.S. Department of Transportation:
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa16076/fhwasa16076.pdf

USA & Cities speed limit:
http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/urban-speed.html

Speed limits for cars in european countries:
https://www.acl.lu/en-us/tests-conseils/conseils/voitures/code-de-la-route/international/limites-de-vitesses-dans-les-pays-europeens-pour-l

Japan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_Japan

Japan/Hokkaido Prefectural Police:
https://www.police.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/foreign/01_english/english-3-3.html

WHO Road Safety:
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/thailand/roadsafety/thailand-rs-network.pdf

World report on road traffic injury prevention:
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/world-report-on-road-traffic-injury-prevention

UN/SDGs #Love30 campaign:
https://www.sdgmove.com/2021/03/25/love30-campaign-road-safety-week/