Smartophor for Sombi: traffic lights for those who are buried in the screen of a smartphone

In German Augsburg, authorities are testing a new type of traffic light : a light source built into the pavement flashes red when the transition is prohibited. This experiment was made in an attempt to protect people who ignore safety rules on the street and who are distracted by their mobile devices while driving.

The idea of ​​implementing a new type of traffic lights came to the authorities after the tragic incident in Munich. In March of this year, a 15-year-old girl, covering her ears with headphones and staring at the screen of her smartphone, crossed the tram tracks and did not notice the approaching tram. As a result of a collision with a tram, she died. In the Augsburg itself, two accidents with trams also happened lately - however, then the victims got off with light bruises.

Instead of giving way to natural selection, the city authorities took care of the security of that subset of citizens for whom they invented the word “sombi” last year - this is a compound word-wallet from “smartphone” and “zombie”. It means people who are disconnected from the surrounding reality due to their passion for their mobile device. Such people can increasingly be found on the streets.
')
According to the results of a study conducted by the European sociological company DEKRA, 17% of pedestrians are distracted by a smartphone during the crossing of the carriageway. At the same time, 8% of pedestrians wrote the text, 2.6% talked on the phone, 1.4% did it at the same time. 5% had headphones in their ears. Most used smartphones on the road are citizens from the age group from 25 to 35 years.

One of the studies conducted in the US , gives even more frightening numbers - every third American is distracted by his smartphone when moving the roadway.

However, not all residents of Augsburg believe that there is a sense in the new traffic lights. One pedestrian surveyed by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper stated that until his attention was paid to these traffic lights, he did not notice them at all. Thus, he concluded that innovation is a waste of taxpayer money.

Update : thanks to the users of istui and SilverHorse, it became known that a test "outdoor" LED traffic light was installed in Chelyabinsk last fall - judging by the video, even more noticeable than the German one. While the traffic light at the intersection of Sverdlovsk Avenue and Lenin Avenue is in test mode.

“The traffic police proposed a pilot project, which has already taken root in Europe and the West. This is an additional visual bright signal for people from the higher risk group - the visually impaired, children, and retirees. The project should work at any time of the year, it has a wide temperature range - up to minus 50 degrees, ”Nina Leontieva, a leading public relations officer of the city’s road works department, told the First Oblast site.



During the year, traffic police inspectors and the administration will monitor the accident situation, according to the results of the “test” period, it will be decided whether to install a “floor” traffic light in other areas.