Will Kurgan get new traffic lights? Traffic police respond

In Kurgan, the mass installation of traffic lights has reduced pedestrian fatalities several times over the past three years, said Yuri Filipchuk, head of the Traffic Police Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Kurgan Region, at a press conference.

He clarified that there are currently 294 traffic lights in the city, of which 105 are at pedestrian crossings.

“I won«t say there are few, and I won»t say there are many. I«ll say the quantity is optimal. It is quite possible that new traffic lights will appear this year. Everything will depend on how the accident situation develops. The city administration installs traffic lights in various places, including at our request, not without reason. There are objective reasons. And the main one is improving road safety. We still have a sufficient number of unregulated pedestrian crossings today. ... I understand citizens» frustration with traffic jams. ... This way we manage to curb such types of accidents as pedestrian collisions,” noted Yuri Filipchuk.

The head of the regional Traffic Police Department commented on the implementation of an intelligent transport system in Kurgan. He said that the city administration is considering the possibility of removing countdown timers on traffic lights. There is an opinion that the numbers provoke drivers to “jump the gun” and pedestrians to dangerous haste. But the traffic police insist on keeping the timers because the countdown helps rational road users predict their actions and reduces the risk of emergency braking.

“I«ll tell you a secret about the information that the timers might be removed. This issue is currently being worked on. But our position is clear: the timer should remain,” emphasized Yuri Filipchuk.