Stepping Toward a Safer Future: The Transformative Power of Vantage PedSafe

October marks National Pedestrian Safety Month, a time to focus on the importance of protecting vulnerable road users and to champion innovative solutions that make walking safer for everyone. As communities across the country reflect on how to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, Iteris is proud to highlight how Vantage PedSafe™ is helping cities take meaningful steps creating safer streets and intersections.

Communities Leading the Way

Across the country, cities are already investing in Vantage PedSafe to help transform public safety:

• Loveland, CO – With growing foot traffic near neighborhoods, schools, and retail centers, Loveland became the first city in Colorado to deploy Vantage PedSafe with RRFB crossings. The installation quickly became a statewide model for proactive safety infrastructure and positioned the city as a leader in Colorado’s Vision Zero movement.

• San Marcos, TX – At Texas State University, more than 40,000 students cross a high-volume roadway each day. By integrating HAWK-style signaling, radar detection, and nighttime illumination, the city dramatically improved conditions during class-change peaks and after dark — protecting students at one of the most hazardous points on campus without the need for them to even press a button.

• Corona, CA – Faced with dangerous crossings near schools and dense residential areas, Corona implemented Vantage PedSafe to provide hands-free pedestrian protection without requiring button activation. The project helped the city advance its Vision Zero goals while directly addressing infrastructure equity in underserved neighborhoods.

These success stories demonstrate how municipalities of all sizes can deploy Vantage PedSafe to improve safety and achieve Vision Zero goals. So, what makes this technology so effective? Let’s take a closer look at how the system works and why it’s transforming pedestrian safety across the country.

Supplemental lighting illuminates a crossing pedestrian at night for motorists in San Marcos, Texas.

Advanced Pedestrian Radar

Vantage PedSafe is a comprehensive, intelligent sensor-based solution designed to address the multifaceted challenges of pedestrian safety. At its core lies advanced radar technology, capable of detecting pedestrians with great accuracy, regardless of lighting conditions, weather, or if they are obscured by other objects.

An installation of Vantage PedSafe at a mid-block crossing with a high volume of both vehicles and pedestrians.

The solution addresses many of the limitations of traditional pedestrian detection methods. Relying solely on push buttons or driver visibility to detect pedestrians often falls short. Pedestrians may forget to activate buttons, signals can be obscured, or drivers may simply not see individuals, especially in low-light conditions. Vantage PedSafe’s 60 GHz millimeter-wave radar technology pierces through darkness, fog, rain, and snow, helping to ensure that pedestrians are detected accurately, even when human visibility is compromised. This all-weather, 24-hour light conditions capability is crucial, considering that a significant percentage of pedestrian fatalities occur during nighttime hours.

Activated Flashers, Signage, and Lighting

Beyond detection, Vantage PedSafe actively enhances real-time safety measures. Upon detecting a pedestrian stepping into a crosswalk, the system can trigger a range of dynamic countermeasures. This includes the activation of existing roadside warnings or blank-out signs. The system can also communicate pedestrian presence to activate supplemental overhead lighting—and as with flashers and blank-out signage, when and only when someone enters the crosswalk.

VantagePedSafe being installed in Loveland, Colorado with signage and lighting.

Red-Phase Extension

One of the technology’s most significant contributions to pedestrian safety is its ability to extend the signal phase until pedestrians have fully crossed — even if they’re moving more slowly than the original timing would typically allow. This is because unlike traditional systems, PedSafe can detect VRUs at mid-block. This helps protect those with disabilities, young children, or folks who are simply moving at a slower pace and may not be able to clear the crosswalk within the standard allotted time. This adaptive signal timing prioritizes pedestrian safety without unnecessarily impacting traffic flow, as the red light is only delayed when truly needed. This seamless integration with existing traffic infrastructure makes Vantage PedSafe a highly adaptable and efficient solution for communities of all sizes.

Valuable Data Collection

Vantage PedSafe also provides invaluable data-driven insights for proactive safety planning and evaluation. Every detection, every interaction, and every crossing event is captured and integrated into Iteris’ ClearGuide® traffic analytics platform. This rich data set allows traffic agencies to visualize pedestrian activity, understand pedestrian volumes, track crossing speeds, and identify locations where vulnerable road users are most at risk. This intelligence is crucial for:

• Identifying high-risk areas: Agencies can pinpoint intersections and mid-block crossings with a disproportionately high number of pedestrian activities or near-misses, enabling targeted interventions.

• Optimizing signal timings: The data provides the empirical evidence needed to adjust pedestrian clearance times, ensuring they are appropriate for the actual walking speeds of the community.

• Assessing countermeasure effectiveness: By monitoring changes in pedestrian behavior and safety outcomes after implementing Vantage PedSafe, agencies can quantify the positive impact of their investments and refine future strategies.

• Supporting funding applications: Robust data on pedestrian activity and safety improvements can significantly strengthen grant applications for future infrastructure enhancements.

• Addressing "jaywalking" and non-compliant crossings: The system can even detect instances of pedestrians crossing outside of designated areas, providing data to inform educational campaigns or infrastructure modifications.

The Vantage PedSafe detection system represents a significant leap forward in pedestrian safety technology. Its advanced radar detection, real-time countermeasure capabilities, and robust data analytics combine to create a comprehensive solution that empowers communities to actively safeguard their most vulnerable road users. By transforming how we manage intersections and crosswalks, Vantage PedSafe helps to further protect the well-being of our communities, paving the way for a future where every step taken on our roadways is a safe one.

Ready to see how Vantage PedSafe can transform pedestrian safety in your community? Request a demo to learn more.