Mixed fire and countdown: the highway code is evolving

Small innovations, most of which have already been tested.

The Road Traffic Code has just been amended by a decree published in the Official Journal on July 5th. The updates concern both cyclists and pedestrians and motorists.

Mixed light and countdown timer at pedestrian crossings

Tested in Strasbourg, the pedestrian-cyclist mixed light is now definitively incorporated into the road code. It can be used when a bike lane runs parallel to a pedestrian crossing. The mixed pedestrian-cycle light includes a bicycle pictogram beneath the pedestrian symbol to indicate — or remind — cyclists that they should not cross the roadway on a red light. Now, the question remains: will it be truly respected?

A time countdown at pedestrian crossings also enters the road code. As the name suggests, this device indicates the remaining time before the pedestrian light turns green again. It has been tested in the cities of Strasbourg, Vannes, and Neuilly-sur-Seine. Road safety authorities affirm that the countdown timer was well received during this testing phase. It did lead to some behavioral changes, but on very small scales. “We observe a slight improvement in crossing during the green pedestrian light on some testing sites, around 1 to 5%, depending on the site”, specifies Road Safety.

A new sign in tunnels

The third and final update introduced into the road code is a sign regarding the safety distances to be maintained within tunnels.

Two versions have been created: one with two cars, and the other with a car and a truck. The sign urges drivers to respect safety distances by using the blue markers present inside the tunnel.

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