Massachusetts Girl’s Idea To Use 3D Crosswalk May Help Save Lives

Not everyone behind the wheel should actually be driving and there’s no such thing as being too safe out there. All it takes is one second of bad judgment, and something terrible can happen. At crosswalks with stop signs or “school children playing/crossing” signs, all cars must stop and yield to children crossing, but unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. According to the Transportation Research Board, 100 children are killed in collisions while walking to or from school in the US, while 25,000 children are injured every year in school zone accidents [1]

It’s no wonder 10-year-old Isa is worried about the safety of her schoolmates in Medford, just northwest of Boston, Massachusetts. But, this little genius came up with an amazing idea to keep them safe while crossing the road.

If Drivers Aren’t Going to Stop, Lets Trick Them

After months of extensive research with a classmate at her elementary school, Isa was finally ready to share her idea with the world.

The basis of the idea? If crosswalks were solid obstacles that would move up and down to restrict or permit the passage of drivers, this would certainly get the drivers attention, get them to stop, and contribute to the safety of the students crossing the road. Though, as Isa probably already knew, the idea of a solid obstacle may not be practical.  

In the end, it didn’t matter if the crosswalks were solid or raised, it mattered that drivers THOUGHT they were. Her solution? A 3-Dimensional crosswalk. This optical illusion would fool, or at least get the attention of, most drivers, with the hope of getting them to stop sooner.

“You have to stop, I know some cars come speeding down here, this is even a school with signs that say slow, kids playing, but honestly I’ve seen cars just speed past here,” Isa said to abc7ny [2].

It took her a while to pitch the idea to the city, but they finally came through and brought her idea into fruition. The ingenious 3D crosswalk painting was completed near her school. The city also agreed to paint the crosswalk near two other schools, with hopes of extending their use to around the city as well.

This optical illusion will give the kids more courage to use their crosswalks and transit safely across the road. It’s fresh ideas like this we need more often. Thanks Isa!

Editors Note: While Isa did not invent the concept of the 3D crosswalk, she was the first to successfully advocate for them in her area. 3D crosswalks have been used in various countries and cities around the world.