Vancouver's New Speed Bumps: Little Children

In an inventive (and slightly unnerving) move, the city of Vancouver will release a new brand of speed bump that uses an optical illusion to keep drivers alert. A painting of a child on pavement (as in the photo above) will appear to be three dimensional when cars get within 100 feet of it, giving the drivers enough time to slow to a stop. Once the cars pass the ideal viewing distance, the image returns to its two dimensional form.

From Discover Blogs:

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The illusion is part of a $15,000 safety program that will run this week, led by the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation and the public awareness group Preventable.ca. As drivers approach, the police will monitor the fake girl’s effects. Despite fears that drivers may stop suddenly or swerve into actual 3D children, David Duane of the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation told CTV news that the bump was meant to bring attention to driver-caused pedestrian injuries, and that the fake girl should not cause accidents.

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The image will appear in front of the city's Pauline Johnson Elementary School, and it could serve as an effective safety reminder to motorists.