Connecticut Safety Spotlights
Periodically, the Connecticut Dept. of Transportation (CT DOT) chooses a topic of interest from the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan to highlight in “Connecticut Safety Spotlights“. The CT Safety Spotlights are a series of informational briefs, providing updates and the latest data on various topics in traffic safety.
The concern for the safety of non-motorists in the transportation environment continues to grow as the number of pedestrians and bicyclists injured and killed in traffic crashes rises higher and higher. The CT Safety Spotlight, “HAWK Pedestrian Signals“, discusses High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) pedestrian signals and how they are being used to improve the safety of pedestrians as they cross busy streets.

Source: http://www.stamfordct.gov, Stamford Street Smart
The brief highlights:
- What a HAWK signal is
- How HAWK signals work, and
- The overall benefits of HAWK signals
Readers can click links to watch public education videos about how to correctly use a HAWK pedestrian signal, which are primarily used on multi-lane roadways with high traffic volume. Also provided are data pertaining to the frequency of pedestrian fatalities, comparing the national average (15.3%) to Connecticut (16.9%). Currently, HAWK pedestrian signals are being used in the cities of Stamford and Cheshire, Connecticut.
To read more about how the state is using HAWK signals to improve pedestrian safety, check out the Connecticut Safety Spotlights.