A survey of around 1,000 motorists found that 52% cannot see that a red stop light is coming if signals are placed at junctions with pedestrian crossings that are amber. In fact, 39% guessed that a green light would come after the amber.
Another seven percent believe that green and amber lights will appear at the same time, which is something that does not happen, with another six guessing that the light will turn red with an amber signal.
Road safety experts were surprised and concerned to learn that only 48% of the UK’s 36m drivers are able to answer the question during driving theory tests, which may possibly be the reason for high accident rates near pedestrian crossings.
According to government statistics, 19% of pedestrians that are struck are on marked crossings and an additional 12% were within 50m of one.
The last set of Department for Transport figures available from 2008 state that drivers that failed to look at crossings correctly were to blame in about 21% of all accidents involving pedestrians and 7% of the accidents were caused by reckless of speeding motorists.
The Pedestrian Association now known as Living Streets has called for drivers who red lights to be prosecuted more and the launch of a new Government campaign that will educate drivers on pedestrian road safety.
It also asks that the time for pedestrians to cross walks will not be shortened by six minutes as was proposed in London last year in order to reduce congestion.
