School crossings can be one of your town’s most dangerous areas, and one that gives people the most concern. Adding a little extra safety at your school crosswalks can reduce injuries and increase confidence among parents and school personnel. It’s important to ensure that motorists are aware of the crosswalk and know when to stop.
The Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon, or RRFB, is a high-intensity beacon that provides extra intensity at crosswalks or school crossings that need additional safety support.
The RRFB uses a high-intensity light that flashes in a wig-wag alternating pattern. The beacon flickers, but is only active when pedestrians are in the crosswalk, helping ensure that motorists don’t ignore the caution light. These can easily be used in conjunction with the caution signals already employed at the crossing.
To further increase the noticeability of the RRFB, it can be installed in conjunction with a time clock that will allow it to be active only during hours when pedestrians are active in the area, such as before and after school at school crossings.
Combining the RRFB with your current school crossing warnings can offer a great solution in an area where you’ve had particular problems, or in any area where you anticipate heavy traffic of either motorists or pedestrians.
Talk with your vendor about how RRFB’s work, and learn how other towns have implemented these to increase safety at their crosswalks and school crossings. When you’re looking for a way to increase safety without starting your crosswalk safety equipment from scratch, these can offer a great option without having a huge impact on your budget.
Everyone is concerned about school crosswalk safety. Implementing an RRFB before school starts this year can have you ready to take on the challenges of a busy crosswalk and new students.