Emu Crossings

An Emu Crossing is a pedestrian facility designed to help young pedestrians cross the road near a school.

Emu Crossings

• are located within School Zones which have a speed limit of 25 km/h
• operate only when the children crossing flags are displayed
• have one or more red children crossing flags displayed in advance of the crossing
• have cross walk lines painted across the road between red and white striped posts.

Drivers must stop and give way to pedestrians crossing or about to cross the road.
Pedestrians may cross at any time with care when flags are displayed but they should make sure drivers have seen them and have stopped before crossing.

Emu Crossings are installed

• where the number of children crossing is substantially less than that required at Koala Crossings
• generally on local streets
• on two lane major roads in rural areas
• not on roads with more than one lane in each direction.

Flashing white pedestrian signals

A driver turning left or right at any intersection, signalised or not, must give way to pedestrians crossing the road.
Due to continual reports of near misses between cars and pedestrians, Transport SA is trialing a new traffic signal designed to

• make motorists more aware of pedestrians crossing the road at intersections
• provide an additional reminder to motorists of their obligations
• encourage them to look carefully for pedestrians and make their right hand turn when it is safe to do so.

The signal

• operates when a person has pressed the pedestrian crossing button
• features a white flashing pedestrian symbol
• is located directly under the green light, facing turning motorists.

The trial sites are

• Marion Road and Finniss Street, Marion
• The Grove Way and Aeolian Drive, Golden Grove
• Torrens Road, Days Road, Lamont Street, West Croydon
• Sheriffs Road and Hillier Road, Reynella
• Main North and Montague Road, Pooraka
• Fullarton Road and Ferguson Avenue, Myrtle Bank.
  

Kerb extensions

A kerb extension is an extension of the footpath on to the roadway for a short distance. They

• reinforce the existence and prominence of signalised pedestrian crossings
• reinforce the presence of pedestrians
• reduce the width of the road that pedestrians have to cross
• improve visibility between motorists and pedestrians
• discourage illegal parking.

Kerb extensions are usually used

• on local roads although it may be applicable to some rural main roads
• where a signalised pedestrian crossing exists
• when pedestrian crossing movements are high (for example strip shopping centres)

Kerb extensions are not appropriate where

• the kerbside lane is used for moving traffic during peak periods
• parking is prohibited
• clearways apply.
  

Koala Crossings

Koala Crossings are installed where there are a high number of children frequently crossing the road in a concentrated area, generally in front of a school.

Koala Crossings

• have twin yellow flashing lights on either side of the road mounted on red and white poles
• are clearly marked with cross walk and stop lines painted across the road
• operate only when these lights are flashing
• operate usually before school and after school times
• have a 25 km/h speed limit when the lights are flashing
• have signs before and after the crossing to show drivers where the 25 km/h speed limit starts and finishes
• are usually supervised by child crossing monitors during busy times.

Drivers must stop and give way to anyone crossing or about to cross the road.
Pedestrians still need to make sure that drivers have seen them, and are going to stop, before they cross.
Unlike Emu Crossings, Koala Crossings are stand-alone and are not located within a School Zone.

Painted medians

A painted median is a form of traffic control designed to improve both traffic flow and safety.
Painted medians improve the road for all road users as they

• improve pedestrian safety through the provision of an area to stop in the middle of the road
• improve cyclist safety through the provision of a cyclist lane
• separate opposing traffic flows, reducing the chance of a head-on collision
• are significantly less expensive to install than raised concrete medians
• prevent the dangerous and illegal practice of overtaking on the left hand side.
  

Pedestrian refuges

Pedestrian refuges

• enable pedestrians to wait safely in a refuge in the centre of the road
• let pedestrians concentrate on, and cross, one direction of traffic at a time
• are useful for elderly people and children who may require more time to cross busy roads.

A pedestrian refuge can be a

• solid raised median
• small traffic island
• painted median.

Pedestrian refuges are installed where it is difficult for a pedestrian to cross the full width of a road

• generally where there are 4 or more traffic lanes to be crossed, but can be installed on two lane roads
• at signalised crossings where the time given to pedestrians to cross the full width of the road is insufficient
• where overtaking and speeding can put pedestrians at risk
• where two way traffic volumes are so high that they make crossing the road difficult or dangerous
• where there are concentrations of pedestrians crossing
• where elderly pedestrians are known to cross the road.

There needs to be

• sufficient width in a roadway to provide for a refuge
• adequate lighting to ensure night time visibility of crossing pedestrians.
  

Pedestrian walkthroughs

A pedestrian walkthrough is part of a raised solid median where a small section has been cut out to enable pedestrians to cross through the median without having to step up and step down.
It allows easy access through the pedestrian refuge median for

• elderly pedestrians
• cyclists
• wheelchair users
• adults with prams.

To help elderly people cross we install

• ramps at the kerbs on both sides of the road
• white handrails with red reflective strips in the cut-out section of the solid
• raised median and at the kerb ramps.
  

Pedestrian warning signs

A pedestrian warning sign is used to warn motorists of the presence of pedestrians crossing the road.
They are usually located at points where there is

• a known concentration of pedestrian movement
• not enough pedestrians to warrant any other form of pedestrian safety treatment eg a crossing.

The sign has

• yellow diamond shape
• black symbolic representation of two walking people in profile (adults or children).
  

Safety tips for pedestrians

• Look towards oncoming traffic.
• Walk with care. Never assume a driver has seen you.
• Look for turning vehicles. Turning motorists must give way to pedestrians - but as a pedestrian, don’t assume they will.
• Never assume a driver will stop.
• Avoid crossing between parked cars.
• Use pedestrian crossings and other facilities such as refuges and walkthroughs.
• Plan your outings to avoid peak hour traffic.
• Take extra care if you have to cross the road on or near a crest or curve.
• Avoid crossing where drivers may not be able to see you.
• Wait for a suitable gap in the traffic flow before crossing the road.
• Wear light coloured / reflective clothes or carry something bright such as a torch at night.
• Be careful with medication, drugs and alcohol as they increase your risks and may affect your judgement.
  

School Zones

A School Zone improves the safety of school children by controlling vehicle speeds.
School Zones are usually located on local roads although some do exist on major roads.
Drivers are limited to a speed of 25 km/h through a School Zone when children are present.

A School Zone consists of

• two signs approximately 60 - 100 metres apart
• white painted zigzag line approximately 30 metres in length lengthways on the roadway.

A School Zone sign displays 3 clear messages to drivers entering the Zone

• black symbol of two children walking on a fluorescent red background shows they are entering a School Zone
• 25 km/h speed limit
• WHEN CHILDREN PRESENT in black lettering.

Sign showing drivers they are exiting the School Zone consists of

• the words END SCHOOL ZONE
• the speed limit appropriate for that section of road, usually 50 km/h.

School zones are installed

• when there is a need for children to cross the road on their way to and from school
• in front of a school, although sometimes they may be at a location away from the school.

Signalised pedestrian crossings

Signalised pedestrian crossings play an important role in helping people cross busy roads safely.
The pedestrian signal features a

• pedestrian push button on the traffic signal pole to register intention to cross
• green walking figure showing pedestrians when it is safe to start crossing the road
• flashing red figure
  • letting pedestrians who are already on the road know that they should complete their crossing
  • telling pedestrians still on the kerb not to start across

Pedestrians must still make sure that vehicles have stopped before crossing.
Audiotactile pedestrian crossings are designed to help pedestrians with impaired vision to use crossings safely. They

• have a large round metal push button
• make a slow beeping sound which becomes faster when it is safe to cross the road.

Audiotactile devices also help pedestrians with impaired hearing as the buttons also vibrate.
Potential audiotactile sites are given a priority listing by the South Australian Blindness Council Access Committee.
For more information see Mobility access for people with disabilities topic.

Signalised pedestrian crossings are installed

• when there are sufficient pedestrian and traffic volumes
• where pedestrians cross at numerous locations along a short section of road (usually 60 metres) and it is safer to concentrate crossing at a single point, increasing visibility for both pedestrians and motorists
• where there is substantial conflict between pedestrians and the movement of motorists
• where the best location for pedestrians to cross is unclear due to traffic and physical conditions.
  

Wombat Crossings

A Wombat Crossing is a pedestrian crossing designed to help people cross busy local roads.
Wombat Crossings have

• a wide platform marked with the white stripes of a zebra crossing
• pedestrian walking legs signs
• yellow flashing lights in some instances
• 40 km/h speed limit within 30 - 40 metres of the crossing

Drivers must stop and give way when a pedestrian is crossing or about to cross the road.

Pedestrians may cross at any time with care. However, they should check that drivers have seen them and make sure there is a reasonable gap in the traffic so that drivers are able to stop.

Wombat Crossings can be found on some local roads in South Australia. The first Wombat Crossings were installed on Arthur Street, Unley.