The vast majority of people using footpaths in Sydney do not know they have to push the button to activate a pedestrian crossing outside of the CBD, a new study has found.

The study comes after a man died of dehydration after waiting at a rarely used crossing for five days.

“No one else came along to push the button for him, so he just stood there and waited,” a witness said. “Unfortunately, no one in the vicinity knew what to do to help him.”

Another witness admitted she could have helped the man but said she “didn’t like touching the buttons because they’re dirty”, adding that she had sometimes waited hours for some other sucker to activate the crossing for her.

City planners have launched an educational campaign to boost awareness of the issue, with slogans such as:

“Why did the bloke cross the road? Because he fucking pushed the button and after a while, the flashing green dickhead appeared.”