Passenger safety system

Abstract

A system warning the driver of a mass transit vehicle that at least one pedestrian is within an injury risk zone adjacent the mass transit vehicle. The system includes a vibration generator in or on the driver's seat of the mass transit vehicle, functionally associated with a motion sensor and an associated timer commencing sensing of pedestrian motion toward the vehicle for a predetermined duration immediately after the boarding door has been closed in preparation for departure from the boarding zone. Any such pedestrian motion toward the vehicle sensed by the motion sensor within a first risk zone adjacent the vehicle stimulates the first vibration generator to generate a first tactile signaling output perceptible by the driver sitting on the driver's seat for notification of the pedestrian motion in the first risk zone. The vibratory notification may be combined with motion-stimulated visual warning output on a monitor and/or auditory alarm output on a speaker. A plurality of different risk zones can be monitored by different sets of vibration generators, motion detectors, visual stimulus warning outputs (on a split-screen monitor) and/or sound generators for auditory alarm outputs. The system can also function in cooperation with existing safety systems such as warning lights, pedestrian crossing arms, pivot-out stop signs; of the system can include enhanced lighting such as predominantly downwardly directed flood lights mounted on the vehicle below the driver's eyesight (to prevent glare).