From Targeted "Black Spots" to Area-Wide Pedestrian Safety

Crash reports filled out by officers have technical limitations that prevent their use in easily mapping crash sites. This study uses an alternative data source to describe and illustrate the geographic distribution of pedestrian crash sites in Montreal, Canada. Data on pedestrian victims were extracted for a 5-year period (1999–2003) from ambulance services information systems. The locations of crash sites and pedestrian victim density were mapped using a geographic information system. Pedestrian "black spots" were defined as sites where there had been at least eight pedestrian victims. Results showed that the 22 identified black spots represent only 1% of all city intersections with at least one victim and 4% of all injured pedestrians, whereas 5082 victims were injured at >3500 different crash sites. The number and population rates of injured pedestrians are greater in central boroughs. Accordingly, the density of pedestrian victims is much higher in central boroughs. Over the 5-year period, in some central boroughs, pedestrian crashes occurred in up to 26% of intersections. These findings indicate that most pedestrians were injured at locations that would have been missed by the black spot approach to analysis and intervention.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13538047
• Authors:
  • Morency, P
  • Cloutier, M-S
• Publication Date: 2006-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 360-364
• Serial:
  • Injury Prevention
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
  • ISSN: 1353-8047
  • EISSN: 1475-5785
  • Serial URL: http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ambulances; Crash locations; Crash rates; Crash records; Geographic information systems; High risk locations; Intersections; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Pedestrian vehicle interface; Traffic crash victims; Traffic crashes
• Geographic Terms: Montreal (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01042339
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 2007 9:04PM