Better traffic lights can prevent jaywalking

BEIJING - Pedestrian-friendly traffic lights should be installed to prevent jaywalking, a dangerous behavior that is often attributed to violations of traffic rules and people's tendency to follow crowds, according to a commentary in the China Youth Daily on Friday.

"The design of traffic lights in many cities is not pedestrian-friendly," the national paper said, adding this is a major cause of jaywalking.

The article said the new design should take into account the walking paces of people of different age brackets, including young people, middle-aged and senior citizens.

A survey carried out on the roads of Beijing by a news organization showed that only nine out of 80 respondents said they could endure the waiting time required of them by traffic lights, according to the paper.

The article urged both traffic management authorities and scientific institutes to carry out research on pedestrians' patience under lights.

It is common for pedestrians in most Chinese cities to ignore traffic regulations, with large crowds of people crossing against red lights on a regular basis.

In a move to enhance road safety, the government of the city of Shijiazhuang in North China's Hebei province, decided on Tuesday to fine people who cross pedestrian walkways when the light is red in a two-month campaign.

China Youth Daily proposed pedestrian-friendly facilities and measures should be in place before such penalties are introduced.