Dangerous crossing: Drivers ignore zebra crossings in Meissen!

Dangerous crossing: Drivers ignore zebra crossings in Meissen!

In Meißen, those responsible are faced with an explosive traffic problem: a mobile traffic light at Rossmarkt, which has been installed there for two weeks, is causing unrest. Long-term construction work in Görnische Gasse led to this measure, but the traffic light is permanently green and is intended for construction vehicles that want to turn into Neugasse Sächsische.de.

Unfortunately, drivers on Gerbergasse seem to have forgotten the right of way for pedestrians and often drive over the pedestrian crossing without stopping. Conflict situations are the order of the day because many road users value the green traffic light more highly than the zebra crossing. Reports of emergency braking and dangerous near-accidents are increasing. Interestingly, the traffic light remains green even on weekends, even when no construction work is taking place - a circumstance that further exacerbates the situation.

Vision for improvement

During an on-site appointment, it was noticed that around half of the cars ignored the stop signal while passers-by were waiting. Hans-Jürgen Freitag from the ACE automobile club observed these circumstances carefully and expressed concerns about the traffic light configuration. To provide clarity, he suggested putting up a sign saying “construction traffic light” to avoid misunderstandings.

The current construction work in Görnische Gasse is planned until December 2025. According to experts, a possible solution could be to move the traffic lights a few meters forward. In this way, they could be separated from the zebra crossing and thus increase the safety of pedestrians, which would not only benefit the local population but also the driving road users.

Technical backgrounds

The mobile traffic light itself is a modern product that uses powerful LED technology and, according to the manufacturer Berghaus, works in an energy-efficient manner. These traffic lights are customizable and can be equipped with a variety of features that can respond to specific traffic needs. This also includes traffic-dependent systems for adjusting the traffic light phases, as the Berghaus-Portal reports.

The correct application of traffic technology is not only implemented at construction sites, but also covers areas where there is a lot of public traffic. Here, the correct protection and marking with traffic signs, barriers and traffic cones is of great importance in order to minimize dangers. The use of mobile traffic light systems can also contribute to safety in public spaces Huefferman highlights.

In Meißen it is clear: solving the traffic light situation requires creative approaches and the use of all available technical options in order to ensure both the safety of passers-by and the efficient completion of the construction work. The pressure is high, but the city has the potential to overcome this challenge with a good hand.