In 2011, dark points were identified at crosswalks across Braga in Portugal. The higher rate of accidents at these zones was a result of insufficient warning systems and bad driving. This situation threatened the security of all road users, especially pedestrians, with the most critical locations high traffic roads and school zones.
"The SERNIS System was a sustainable solution to solve road traffic problems in Braga with high efficienc," said Eng Barata from the Road Safety Division of Braga Municipality.
To reduce the high road accident rate, SERNIS introduced crosswalk safety sets at dark points. The safety sets integrate crosswalk LED lights, LED signs, pre-signaling road studs and the system SR-IPCS.
The SR-IPCS innovation can detect in real time image processing when pedestrians are crossing the street and automatically starts a set of warnings as the LED signs changed to red. With the installation of the integrated system there has been a clear improvement in road traffic safety.
"The number of crashes at crosswalks has significantly reduced and accident risks have decreased," said Eng Barata
After one year, the results are evident with road accident rates declining sharply, there has been an increase in drivers’ attention, vehicles have been driving at lower average speeds, the number of crashes and victims with serious injuries has decreased.
The Road Safety Division of Braga Municipality believes: "The system encourages responsible driving and help to keep the roads safe."
