Significance of Zebra Crossing

It is important that motorists and pedestrians get and understanding of the importance of zebra crossing; hence this article.Zebra crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing used in many places around the world. Its distinguishing feature is alternating dark and light stripes on the road surface, from which derives its name. The crossing is characterized by longitudinal stripes on the road, parallel to the flow of the traffic, alternately a light colour and a dark one. The similarity of these markings to those of a zebra gave rise to the crossing's name.

The light colour is usually white and the dark colour may be painted in which case black is typically used or left unpainted if the road surface itself is of a dark colour. The stripes are typically 400 to 600 millimetres (16 inches to 2 feet) wide. If there are no additional traffic lights, pedestrians always have the right of way on a Zebra Crossing. When traffic lights are used, pedestrians only have priority on the green colour.  
It is easily recognized by the black and white stripes on the road, Zebra crossings often have Belisha Beacons each end of the crossing to aid motorists at night of the approaching hazard. As a motorist approaching a Zebra crossing, it is important to use appropriate speed. If for example the road is busy or highly congested to the right, your vision to the right side of the crossing could be obscured by slow moving or stationary vehicles.

The safety of pedestrians is taken for granted by drivers as they refuse to stop so pedestrians can cross many people, especially pedestrians particularly regarded the zebra crossings as a welcome development since their presence would afford them the opportunity of crossing traffic-busy roads safely however, it appears that the joy of having these zebra crossings in place is already fading, this is due to the now obvious flagrant disobedience of Zebra Crossing signs by most motorists in Ghana.

My friend and I stood along the zebra crossing on Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC) road for 10 minutes because none of the drivers thought it wise to allow us cross to the other side of the road. Under normal circumstances, a pedestrian is supposed to go through the normal routine of looking right, left and right again before crossing, but if the road is not clear, the pedestrian cannot cross and vehicles will be in no position to stop for him or her to cross, that is why we have zebra crossing but drivers do not stop for the pedestrian to make good use of it.

The zebra crossing is important because it prevents pedestrian from being knocked down by a vehicle but drivers see zebra crossing as the least significant road sign, it is observed that drivers go to the extent of parking their vehicles on it, and sometimes stopping to pick passengers because they do not care about its importance.

Zebra crossing is for the safety of pedestrian, the rule of zebra crossing explains that a driver must give way to a pedestrian who has moved on to cross. Because zebra crossing is disregarded, it makes it pointless on roads, so during road construction, since pedestrians are not allowed to make good use of it, which in a way is making people forget its use.
To ensure the safety of pedestrians, police on traffic duty should make it a point to enforce the use of zebra crossing so drivers can be enlightened in order to prevent accident.
Also it should be an offense punishable as other road offenses. In other to create awareness the Ministry of Transportation and police on traffic duties should undergo a campaign exercise to educate the drivers and pedestrians about the importance of zebra crossing.