Tenerife Installs Pedestrian Lights After Fatal Tram Accident

Tenerife authorities are taking action after a 21-year-old woman, Zahra Hajlouti López, died when she was hit by a tram on September 30th. The Cabildo of Tenerife and the Santa Cruz City Council will install two pedestrian traffic lights at the crosswalk where the accident happened to improve safety.

This isn't the only change planned. The circumstances of the fatal accident are also being considered: Zahra was wearing headphones and didn't hear the tram's horn, which prevented it from stopping in time.

The two governing bodies will soon meet to discuss adding more signs to warn people about distractions in the capital, similar to what happened in Zahra's case. "Smart crosswalks," which use lights to show pedestrians when it's safe to cross, are seen as the most effective way to prevent accidents involving people looking at their phones or wearing headphones.

These types of crosswalks already exist in Tenerife's capital, and the plan is to install them in other areas where accidents are a risk. The City Council intends to put up 23 of them across the capital municipality. This will be a key topic at the upcoming meeting between the island government and the Santa Cruz council.

These measures and the installation of pedestrian traffic lights follow a petition started by Zahra's friend, Paula Sánchez, calling for increased safety at the crosswalk on Avenida Islas Canarias where the tram struck the young woman.

Local residents have been asking for improvements for years, considering the area dangerous due to the mix of cars, buses, and the tram. They are collecting signatures both in person and online through Change.org.

They point out that while there's a traffic light at this busy intersection, it's only for vehicles and the tram, not for pedestrians. The Change.org petition states, "A pedestrian traffic light is needed at this intersection to prevent future accidents and save lives."

"We just don't want anyone else to go through what we are," Paula explained. On the day they launched the campaign, she and Zahra's other friends placed flowers, photos, and other mementos at the crosswalk.

Metrotenerife, the company that operates the tram, has already installed one of the pedestrian traffic lights and has begun work on the second one. Construction barriers and signs are in place.

Near the crosswalk, Zahra's flowers and photos remain attached to a lamppost. She had moved to the island in January 2022, having fallen in love with it during a previous visit with Paula Sánchez, and was starting a new chapter in her life.

On September 30th, Zahra, who was born in Madrid in 2003, had just arrived in Tenerife after a vacation in Sri Lanka. She had been traveling for nearly 40 hours on three flights with little sleep.

She was eager to rest but needed to renew her driving school registration for her practical exam and buy groceries. She had recently fulfilled a dream of traveling to Asia.

Witnesses reported that Zahra, wearing headphones, was crossing the same crosswalk on Avenida Islas Canarias when the tram, heading towards the Zurita bridge, struck her. She had crossed it many times before.

She felt safe seeing other young women cross at the same time. Witnesses also mentioned the tram sounded its horn multiple times, but Zahra, engrossed in her music and exhausted, did not see or hear the warnings.

Paula Sánchez expressed her satisfaction on Friday, November 14th, that authorities have responded to her calls for better road safety. "We are pleased that pedestrian traffic lights are being installed as we requested in the petition," she said, adding, "We will continue to push for them to be extended to other problem areas in the city."

Paula's petition on Change.org had gathered nearly 700 signatures by Friday, with hundreds more collected in person. "We don't want to blame anyone, as we understand what happened to Zahra; we just want safety to be improved because anyone can make a mistake due to distraction," Paula explained.

Both the Cabildo and the City Council are reviewing solutions to prevent similar incidents, as they do after any serious accident. City Council sources indicated that improvements at this location were already being considered before the September 30th incident due to requests from residents.

Following this tragic accident, Metrotenerife has launched the campaign 'Disconnect, look, and cross.' One of their social media videos reminds people, "Looking up from your phone before crossing can save lives," adding, "Because a second of distraction can make a difference."