Michal Derhy Vieman: A Seminar Lecture on Smart Urban Products as Motivators for Safe and Aware Crosswalk Crossing by Pedestrians

Michal Derhy Vieman: A Seminar Lecture on Smart Urban Products as Motivators for Safe and Aware Crosswalk Crossing by Pedestrians

In Israel, a third of all pedestrians hurt in car accidents are wounded while crossing a crosswalk. 30% of those accidents are caused by inattentiveness and the distraction of pedestrians. Recent years presented increment in fatalities originated from extensive smartphones usage while crossing a crosswalk. Alongside this frequently escalating phenomenon, “Smart Cities” have been flourishing around the globe. Municipalities expeditiously develop infrastructures that improve and maintain their citizens’ safety and wellbeing. Nevertheless, the knowledge about smart urban products and their design, function, and influence on pedestrians needs more elaboration. This research seeks to facilitate a systematic definition and a design method for a smart urban product designated for the crosswalk surroundings. The designed product’s ability to prevent hazardous crosswalk crossing due to smartphone usage has been examined through field research, which ascertained its effectiveness by pedestrians’ reaction and attention towards it. Although adjustments and further evolution of design are required, the accountability of a singular smart urban product in creating secure crosswalk crossing by pedestrians has been preliminarily demonstrated.