The Hidden Traffic Safety Solution: Public Transportation

Public transportation is one of the safest ways to travel. It is ten times safer per mile than traveling by car because it has less than a tenth the per-mile traffic casualty (injury or death) rate as automobile travel. Public transit-oriented communities are five times safer because they have about a fifth the per capita traffic casualty rate as automobile-oriented communities. In addition, crash rates tend to decline as public transit travel increases in a community. Contrary to popular perceptions, public transit travel is significantly safer than automobile travel. Credible research indicates that many planning practices that improve public transportation and encourage its use also tend to increase traffic safety. However, these benefits are often overlooked: individuals tend to exaggerate public transit risks; planners tend to overlook safety benefits when evaluating public transit improvements; and traffic experts seldom consider pro-transit policies as safety strategies. This report identifies new safety strategies that are currently overlooked in most traffic safety planning. Because transit supportive policies provide many benefits besides safety, they are an opportunity to build coalitions among diverse groups including those concerned with traffic congestion problems, affordability, mobility for non-drivers, public health and environmental protection.

• Record URL:
  http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/APTA-Hidden-Traffic-Safety-Solution-Public-Transportation.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract used with permission from American Public Transportation Association.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Litman, Todd
• Publication Date: 2016-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 72p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefits; Crash rates; Policy; Public transit; Safety programs; Stakeholders; Traffic safety; Transportation planning
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01612464
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 2016 9:55AM