Kenngineering Notes: Why we build crossings to slow vehicles

We say the safety of children is a priority.

Then we build crossings that do not slow vehicles.

The near miss in this video happened at a refuge island between a shopping centre and a pool, surrounded by schools. The design asked a child to judge speed and gaps on a connector road. Nothing slowed the vehicle. The child had no priority.

I am currently working on some projects with Prue Oswin, and she recently reminded me of her research into how parents and children perceive different pedestrian crossing types. It is world leading work in my opinion. When people are asked to compare refuge island crossings, pedestrian crossings (zebras) and raised pedestrian crossings (wombats), both parents and children consistently rate wombats as the safest.

People intuitively understand risk, especially when it comes to their kids.

Wombats are not a luxury treatment. They slow vehicles, improve visibility, provide priority and deliver the highest safety outcomes. iRAP (the globally trusted source for infrastructure risk reduction metrics) also rates wombats (raised crossings) as the safest of these three options.

If we are serious about protecting children in places like this, this site should be raised.

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