People on bikes are left to mix with vehicle traffic, raising the chances of a collision.  Now, a handful of American cities are trying a new approach to combat that risk: a protected intersection. Seattle could be among the next cities to try the design.

Among cyclist fatalities in urban areas in 2017, 43% occurred at intersections, according to an analysis by the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Of 15 bicyclist fatalities in King County from 2013 through 2017, nearly half were at or near intersections, according to data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

Instead of people on bikes waiting alongside drivers behind a crosswalk at a light, a protected intersection allows them to wait farther into the intersection; increasing the chances a driver will see them. Concrete dividers or posts create a separate “island” where cyclists and pedestrians wait, plus a wider turn that can force drivers to slow down. Pedestrians, meanwhile, get a shorter crosswalk that means less exposure to traffic.

Variations on the design are common in Dutch cities, but only recently are being adopted in the United States as protected bike lanes become more common.

Seattle City traffic engineer Dongho Chang wrote on Twitter in April, “we may have a protected intersection in SEA!!! More to come.” The Seattle Department of Transportation is “strongly considering” protected intersections but has not identified specific locations, said spokesman Ethan Bergerson.

Early research indicates the design can make cyclists feel safer.