Outback town uses optical illusion to slow down drivers

An Australian outback town has implemented new technology that uses an optical illusion in an attempt to slow down traffic.

Boulia Shire Council painted a 3D zebra crossing on the road earlier this month to create the illusion of a floating crossing to trick drivers into slowing down to check for pedestrians.

Boulia, in Western Queensland, is the first Australian town to install this type of crossing and the idea is part of a global phenomenon, with similar painted crossings in Iceland, New Zealand, Malaysia, India and China

Boulia Shire Council mayor Rick Britton told the ABC he became aware of the technology on social media and thought it would be “a great idea in a little outback town like ours”.

“If we put it around our hospitals and our schools, it’ll just jog people’s memory that they’re in a school zone and really think about where they’re driving,” he said.

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Dr Mark King, from Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Accident Research Road Safety Queensland, told the ABC the 3D crossing could be distracting for drivers but would at least lead their eyes to the road.

Spokeswoman for the Remote Area Planning and Development Board, Kristine Arnold, told Yahoo7 the crossing was “a great initiative”.

In March, Cairns Regional Council announced a 3D art pedestrian crossing would be trialled at Pier Point Road.

That crossing will replace the existing pedestrian crossing between South Esplanade carpark and The Pier Shopping Centre.

The council said in a statement the crossing would encourage drivers to slow down.

They will review motorist and pedestrian behaviour for six months to determine its effectiveness.