Smart school zone teaching drivers to be more alert around crossings

Background

School zones in South Australia are unique in that a 25km/h speed limit applies when children are present, placing the onus on drivers to identify pedestrians which can often result in low levels of speed limit compliance. Safety can be improved by providing direction and prompting drivers to reduce their speed.

SAGE considered the following to be the main issues:

• Drivers not adhering to the 25km/h School Zone
• Lack of safe road crossing opportunities
• Lack of awareness of presence of a school
• Traffic congestion
• Driver behaviour near schools.
  

Solution

•  Increase speed awareness for motorists
• Vehicle monitoring
• Pedestrian detection bollards
• Detect pedestrians and communicate detections back to the display signage.

Outcome

SAGE Automation designed, built and installed radars to standard school zone signage to detect vehicles approaching the school zone and their speed. A number of ultrasonic pedestrian detection bollards are also used to detect the presence of pedestrians within the school zone.

When pedestrians are detected within the school zone and an approaching vehicle is detected, a variable message sign located below the existing school zone signage will display a message to the approaching driver. 

Highlights

• Customised messages displayed when children are present, based on vehicle speed
• Twin radars monitor vehicle counts and speeds
• Retrieved data is logged to smart city API
• Solar-powered wireless LoRaWAN solution
• Cost-effective and easy to install solution
• Easily expanded to cover large pedestrian zones.

Want to know more about SAGE's capability for Smart Cities? Find out more here.