'Talking' traffic lights installed to stop jaywalkers

(ECNS) -- Five traffic lights with special voice-warning systems have been installed at two intersections in Shanghai in an effort to curb jaywalking, according to the Shanghai Evening Post.

Equipped with infrared sensors, the system is being applied to traffic lights on the Nanjing East Road and the Henan Central Road.

The sensor emits beams of infrared light as the traffic light turns red. If anyone tries to jaywalk, he or she will trigger the light and an electronic voice alarm will warn "you are running the red light, please step back and wait."

The implementation of the devices is a new experiment by the city's transportation department to ban "Chinese style" road crossing.

Four months have passed since the devices were installed, and the problem of pedestrians jaywalking has been curbed, according to an official at the local transportation department.

The department added that next month the system will be installed at another three road junctions.