Safety at tram crossings is very important. Despite the fact that there are traffic lights at intersections, accidents do happen from time to time.
The new 23-metre braking distance campaign will start in the province of Utrecht on 40 January. This campaign emphasizes the importance of safety at tram crossings. A tram does not stop immediately, it has a braking distance of no less than 40 meters. A tram therefore always has priority. Road users such as cars, cyclists, pedestrians and scooters are therefore advised to pay extra attention when crossing a tramway.
Safety at tram crossings is very important. Despite the fact that there are traffic lights at intersections, accidents do happen from time to time. With all its consequences. In some cases, the tram is poorly seen by them or the tram driver cannot see the approaching road users sufficiently at the intersections.
Reason for the province of Utrecht to discuss this with the municipalities. The municipalities manage the intersecting roads. The province recently carried out research into the tram crossings and explored the possibilities of making them safer in a number of cases. This includes measures to make the tram more visible (for example, by pruning trees and shrubs, moving obstacles), providing information to students about the braking distance of the tram, and in some cases installing barriers such as at the junction on the Symfonielaan in Nieuwegein.
“It is important that we make road users more aware of the tram. The campaign will help with this. The province is responsible for the tram track, while municipalities are responsible for the road infrastructure. We must therefore work together to improve safety and to solve this together. As manager of the tram infrastructure, the province is taking the initiative for this.”
Campaigns 40 meters braking distance
The new awareness campaign encourages road users to pay extra attention at tram crossings. In the coming weeks, there will be provocative bus shelters along the Utrecht, Nieuwegein and IJsselstein tram lines to draw everyone's attention to the tram's long braking distance. Advertisements on large digital screens in the city of Utrecht are visible during rush hour (morning and evening). The campaign is also receiving attention on social media.
