Pedestrian Fatal Crashes on Freeways in Texas

Over the five-year period of 2007 through 2011, 2,232 fatal pedestrian crashes were recorded in Texas. 21% of these crashes were found to have occurred on controlled-access facilities (i.e. freeways). This is an alarmingly high number for a location where pedestrians are least expected. This study analyzed crash reports and police officer narratives to understand the characteristics and contributing factors associated with fatal pedestrian crashes on freeways. The contributing factors identified include pedestrian and driver alcohol use and dark conditions. Eighty percent of the crashes occurred after dark, almost half of which were at a location with no lighting. Intoxicated pedestrians were involved in twenty eight percent of crashes, with an average BAC of 0.20. To alleviate this problem, there may be a need for conducting a “Don’t Drink and Walk” campaign to educate the general public of dangers of walking while intoxicated, especially at night. A quarter of the crashes involved unintended pedestrians, i.e. those who were out of their vehicle due to a previous crash or a stalled vehicle. Motorists should be educated to not work on their vehicle in traffic and not to try and cross the freeway to reach a shoulder or median. It is best to wait in the vehicle with seat belt and hazard lights on until emergency services arrive.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANF10 Pedestrians.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Iragavarapu, Vichika
  • Khazraee, S Hadi
  • Lord, Dominique
  • Fitzpatrick, Kay
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash analysis; Crash causes; Crash characteristics; Fatalities; Freeways; Pedestrian vehicle crashes
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555524
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-2921
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 27 2015 10:03AM