While driving through Seminole County, specifically at the Cross Seminole Trail, some people may have spotted a neon-green crosswalk. This is because in 2022 Florida experienced an alarming 390,700 car crashes- most of which were caused by distracted drivers- and local governments are now trying to prevent this number from rising further.

To counteract this, Seminole County has begun to paint all crosswalks lime green. The goal of this bright change is to make it obvious to drivers that there is a crosswalk and to be on the lookout for pedestrians. According to Seminole County Officials, these crossings are standard crosswalk markings in bright green, with the intention of alerting the motorist of the crosswalk space.

They’ve also decided to expand the space where bikers wait. This is especially important in busy intersections, as the waiting area can get quite crowded, leading to potentially fatal accidents. Seminole county officials decided to keep signage the same, unless a specific change is required due to the signs location.

This project started early 2023, with help from construction companies and representative officials from Oviedo. The Board has added a new material to crosswalks to make it have a unique feel so that both drivers and pedestrians are aware of where they are.

These green colorings will also make you feel as though the trail keeps going across the road, giving bikers and walkers a new feeling of right of way, rather than thinking the trail stops and then starts going again. Seminole County’s officials believe these colored markings will convey a sense of continuity, such as where the trail crosses one leg of a signalized intersection.

Finally, while the project is hoped to bring down car crashes, Florida realizes that it won’t bring the total down to zero. According to the Seminole County document, this document is not making specific policy recommendations related to this, but it does encourage that a broader policy related to planning for the future be set in place. The hope is that this will catch the attention of drivers and get them to stop, avoiding  accidents and bringing down the total number of car crashes in Florida from 2024 forward.