If you have ever had trouble seeing New Orleans streetcars, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) hopes to change that. The agency replaced the old streetcar bulbs with brighter LED lights in hopes of avoiding collisions with pedestrians and cars.
In a report at wsdu.com, an RTA spokesperson said the LED lights are five times brighter than the old bulbs, and the spokesperson hopes it will deter accidents of the past. Last September, a streetcar struck a small child. The child survived, but it is one too many accidents, according to the RTA.
Some drivers do not know how to share the road with a streetcar. The RTA also installed strobe lights at the bottom of the streetcars to make them even more noticeable. New signs will also remind pedestrians to look both ways before crossing the street.
The reviews of the new lights are good so far. At a cost of $25,000 to install the lights on 66 streetcars, we hope the result is fewer accidents with cars and walkers. The best way to avoid accidents with streetcars is to be alert and know that streetcars have the right of way.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans injury lawyers