Pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and scooter riders are all vulnerable road users (VRUs)
Recent article in the BBC highlights the need for safety improvements to protects vulnerable road users.
On 13 September 2021, five-year-old Allie Hart was doing something ordinary – riding her bike on a pedestrian crossing near her home in Washington, DC.
When the driver of a transit van hit her, she died instantly.
For Allie’s mother, Jessica Hart, “My whole world was shattered.” Yet, she says, nothing changed in the outside world to safeguard people like Allie.
The gap between business-as-usual and her grief prompted Ms Hart to become a crusader against traffic deaths. Now a member of the campaign group DC Families for Safe Streets, she advocates for better-designed streets, more attentive drivers, and safer vehicles.
This excerpt shows the global impact of, and need for pedestrian safety features as part of a standard vehicle package.
Owl Autonomous Imaging is developing thermal ranging technology for automotive use that is intended to protect pedestrians and save lives. Follow us on our journey.
