THE SAFETY OF UNPROTECTED ROAD-USERS ON ARTERIAL STREETS

OSKYDDADE TRAFIKANTERS SAEKERHET PAA STOMGATOR. UTVAERDERINGSMETOD SAMT TILLAEMPNING VID FOERSOEK PAA TRE ORTER

In this report a number of examples are described which shows that traffic safety benefits especially for pedestrians are strongly reduced due to the fact that the road-users do not behave as planned by the authorities. In some cases accident risks even increased after signalization. Walking and driving against red lights are often the main cause for reduced effects. The knowledge of for example the safety effects for unprotected road-users of signalization is surprisingly small with regard to the large investments made. The lack of a commonly used evaluation technique has strongly contributed to this fact. In this report the basis for such a technique is described. It is also adjusted for implementation in three places in Sweden. In each place, the problems for unprotected road-users are at first compiled, including a description of accident-causation and a proposal for relevant countermeasures including estimation of probable safety effects. Four main problems could be discriminated with respect to safety of unprotected road-users: (1) car drivers travel too fast, considering the circumstances, (2) overtaking just before a pedestrian crossing, (3) pedestrians use a too small time-gap, (4) lack of attention on behalf of either the car-driver or the pedestrian. Different countermeasures were implemented at three places. An evaluation of the effects were carried out through before and after studies. (TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Lund University of Technology, Sweden

  Institution for Traffic Engineering, Fack 725
  S-220 07 Lund 7,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • HYDEN, C
• Publication Date: 1981

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 82 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alertness; Arterial highways; Before and after studies; Behavior; Bikeways; Countermeasures; Crashes; Crosswalks; Cyclists; Evaluation and assessment; Hazards; Intersections; Methodology; Passing; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Pedestrians; Risk assessment; Safety; Signalization; Speed; Speed control humps; Streets; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Refuge
• Old TRIS Terms: Pedestrian protection
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 2238: Attention; 9148: Before and after study; 9001: Behaviour; 2722: Cycle track; 1742: Cyclist; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 455: Junction; 2748: Main road; 9102: Method; 1822: Overtaking; 1733: Pedestrian; 1659: Pedestrian crossing; 9150: Risk; 551: Road stud; 1665: Safety; 556: Signalization; 5408: Speed; 471: Traffic island; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00367047
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Report/Paper Numbers: LUTVDG/TVTT-7024 Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1982 12:00AM