The Government of Victoria in Australia has installed a new technology that would improve the safety of the pedestrians in Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) region.

The new technology has been installed on a trial basis ahead of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

For this new trial, lights have been installed on the edge of the footpaths at the intersection of Little Collins Street and Swanston Street.The lights change colours between red and green, while the pedestrian is crossing the signals at the intersection.

"These lights will remind people to stop at the red light, look up and pay attention to the traffic around them."

Victoria Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan said: “There is growing evidence that using your phone as a pedestrian can lead to serious injuries, so we need everyone to focus on their surroundings and not their mobile phones.

“These lights will remind people to stop at the red light, look up and pay attention to the traffic around them.”

The government further added that the lights will be activated during the day as well as in the night in order to help pedestrians who are crossing the intersection in the night.

The Victorian authorities have chosen this intersection as it is used by a large number of people who frequently disobey pedestrian crossing signals.

In order to ensure that people accessing the festival get around safely, the Transport Accident Commission has joined hands with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

In addition to the new technology deployment, a group of TAC lollipop people and green crossing chaperones will be moving around the streets of Melbourne in order to help people cross the road safely.

The authorities will trial the new footpath technology for a period of twelve months, after which Victoria’s road safety agencies will review the suitability of the new footpath infrastructure and will implement this technology at other intersections across Melbourne.