2. Pedestrian Safety Issues, Actions and Recommendations

Construction Zones

Key Findings and Issues

The Utah Labor Commission, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division reported that three highway construction workers were killed on the job in 1998. The report did not indicate if the fatalities resulted from collisions with private motor vehicles. Data on worker injuries relating to motor vehicle collisions were not available, nor were more recent statistics.

Nationally, between 1992 and 1999, from 106 to 136 highway worker fatalities occurred each year. About 23 percent of the fatalities were attributable to workers being struck by motor vehicles. In July 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in a report to a Congressional panel, stated that the national trend was toward an increasing number of highway work zone fatalities.

Another concern is the safety of the pedestrian who must traverse a construction or maintenance zone. Utah's pedestrian-vehicle collision data does not readily indicate the number of incidents occurring within construction and maintenance zones. Further study of UDOT's Centralized Accident Records System (CARS) data would be needed to isolate these cases. Eldridge (1998) notes that a common technique in urban construction projects is to close a section of the adjacent sidewalk, accompanied by a "Sidewalk Closed - Please Use Other Side" sign. Such closures can create detour-related inconveniences and delays, particularly if the street is wide. Further, a safety hazard can be created if some pedestrians insist on "hugging" the construction project while walking partially within a traffic lane.

Policies, Plans and Actions

UDOT requires each contractor working on a state highway project to file an accident prevention plan. These plans include sections on traffic control and public protection; the public protection section addresses the management of pedestrians. The plan, once filed, is operative for three years.

Recommendations

The FHWA suggests the following highway work zone safety improvements:

• Remove safety program costs from the competitive bid process, to ensure that neither safety costs nor necessary precautions are forfeited;
• Close roads entirely for some repair projects, while incorporating maximum work efficiency techniques;
• Toughen work zone traffic laws (for example, increase fines for speeding);
• Toughen the enforcement of work zone traffic laws;
• Incorporate highway work zone safety instruction into driver education courses;
• Employ intelligent transportation systems technology in advance of work sites to warn motorists of potential delays and the need to consider alternative routes.

Both the FHWA and the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America suggest that improved traffic safety training may be needed for highway workers and flaggers. Highway work zone safety instruction tips for motorists include being attentive, turning on the vehicle's headlights, obeying posted speeds, not changing lanes, not tailgating, and avoiding distractions such as cell phone use.

In many cities, construction projects are bordered with separate, sometimes covered walkways for pedestrians. If not already in place, local agencies in Utah should consider requiring that a pedestrian walkway be provided adjacent construction sites. The extent of the requirement and the type of walkway would depend on the location and size of the project. The requirement would supplant the "sidewalk closed" alternative. It may be necessary to reduce roadway capacity in such cases to allow sufficient space for the walkway.

Driver Awareness

Key Findings and Issues

Pedestrian safety literature indicates that the greatest concerns with regard to driver behavior are alcohol abuse, speeding, yielding tendency (or a lack thereof), and unlawful driving (other than speeding or being under the influence). Studies have shown that anywhere from 7 percent to 26 percent of drivers involved in pedestrian-vehicle collisions have a high blood-alcohol content. By comparison, 9 percent of all motor vehicle occupants, including drivers who were involved in alcohol-related crashes in 1998, were injured or killed. This indicates that the portion of drivers who are under-the-influence and are involved in pedestrian-vehicle collisions is potentially greater than the portion of drivers who are under-the-influence and are involved in fatal motor vehicle collisions. One conclusion is that a pedestrian may be more susceptible than a moving vehicle to being hit by an impaired driver (Vestrup and Reid 1989; Lane et al. 1994).

Studies of driver reactions to pedestrians attempting to cross (i.e., the pedestrian is on the curb, looking at traffic and preparing to step into the street, but has not yet started to cross) have shown that drivers slow no more than 2 mph. No difference in driver behavior has been observed between marked and unmarked crossings. Drivers tended to show a greater propensity to stop, however, when the pedestrian was "conspicuously" dressed in bright or reflective clothing (Harrell 1992-93; Knoblauch et al. 2000). Rouphail (1984) found that, once a pedestrian was in the process of crossing at an unsignalized location, 0.5 percent of all drivers failed to stop or slow down. While this percentage is small, it nonetheless constitutes a major risk factor for pedestrians attempting to cross at unprotected locations. For example, if such a road has an average daily traffic volume of 10,000, up to 50 vehicles per day could involve a pedestrian in either risky, evasive maneuvers or a collision.

Both Baker et al. (1974) and Vestrup and Reid (1989) found that driver negligence was a factor in 38 percent to 46 percent of all pedestrian-vehicle collisions. Negligence included speeding and failing to yield. Of the negligent drivers in these studies, between 37 percent and 58 percent had poor driving records, including multiple prior moving violations and involvement in two or more crashes. Jordan (1998) suggested that, given the large number of unlicensed, unregistered and uninsured drivers in Philadelphia, greater effort was needed in enforcement and in improving driver compliance with motor vehicle regulations. Such "unlawful" drivers were considered to be a risk for pedestrians.

Policies, Plans and Actions

A number of agencies in Utah have put effort into modifying and controlling traffic flow, including traffic controls, traffic calming, and pedestrian-vehicle separation. Techniques include signals, school zone speed restrictions, stop signs, speed bumps, and bollards. These approaches are in addition to warning signs, flashing lights, and enforcement. The objective of these types of techniques is to modify driver behavior on the road. The Utah Driver Handbook includes a short paragraph on how drivers should respond to pedestrians who are attempting to cross a street. There is also a short section entitled "Drivers Must Remember," which emphasizes when drivers must yield to pedestrians. Otherwise, attempts to modify driver behavior off the road appear to be limited.

Recommendations

It may be useful to incorporate pedestrian awareness into driver education. Thompson et al. (1985) concluded that a number of drivers may habitually overestimate the ability of pedestrians to cope with traffic. The development of a pedestrian safety module for a drivers' education course might be considered. Sarkar et al. (1999) found that driver-licensing manuals were insufficient to educate motorists on pedestrian conflicts and the vulnerability of pedestrians. To increase driver awareness, the Utah Driver Handbook should include wording on driver behavior and pedestrian safety concerns including school zones, nighttime visibility, roads with no shoulder or sidewalk, bus stops, and walkways and crosswalks near senior living centers.

Pedestrian safety-related questions should be included on the Utah driver license examination. Exam questions tend to emphasize how the driver should react to a stopped school bus. Other issues should be addressed, including pedestrian visibility, midblock crossings, and right turns. Such questions might serve to increase the "pedestrian awareness" of motorists.

The portion of pedestrians injured in pedestrian-vehicle collisions in Utah increased from 69 percent in 1993 to 92 percent in 1999. The speculation is that larger vehicles in Utah's traffic streams are a contributing factor in the heightening injury rate. An enhanced awareness of pedestrian safety may be needed for the owners of pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and vans. Statistics show that the severity of pedestrian injuries from these vehicles is greater than those caused by passenger cars. One suggestion would be to include a pedestrian safety brochure among the documents that are transferred at the time of purchase of a motor vehicle, with particular attention to large private vehicles.

Enforcement

Key Findings and Issues

A study of the related factors in Utah's year 1999 pedestrian-vehicle crashes reveals that a number of improper driver actions preceded the incident. These actions included hit and run, speeding, improper parking, an unclear windshield, improper backing, under the influence of alcohol, improper overtaking, headlights insufficient or out, defective brakes, crossing over the centerline, and improper turning. As discussed in Cottrell et. al. (2001), it is nearly impossible, based on the information typically provided in a police accident report, to attribute the cause of each crash to the driver or pedestrian. Chapman et al. (1982) estimated that 29 percent of 2,157 pedestrian-vehicle crashes could be wholly or partially attributed to the driver. The estimate was based on interpretations of the events purportedly occurring prior to each crash. It is evident that, in many of the cases, the motorist was at fault through either poor or illegal execution of a driving maneuver. Several articles in the pedestrian safety literature suggest a need for attention to drivers' compliance with standard motor vehicle regulations, such as vehicle registration, licensing, insurance, and so forth (Baker et al. 1974; Jordan 1998). A lack of one or more of these may be associated with a careless, reckless or inattentive driver.

Policies, Plans and Actions

During 2000, the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) made 4,969 arrests for driving under the influence. A total of 900 of the arrests were made by the UHP's Special Emergency Response Team. The Utah Highway Safety Office (UHSO) provides portable breath testers and a few breath alcohol testing vehicles to law enforcement agencies. The UHSO also provides equipment such as radar guns and portable speed monitors for traffic law enforcement. In 1999, 42.5 percent of the drivers involved in a pedestrian crash in Utah were issued a citation. This figure increased to 50.9 percent in 2000, although only 25 percent of the drivers involved in fatal pedestrian crashes were cited. No data were found on citations for speeding, other moving violations, or jaywalking.

Recommendations

Ongoing enforcement of traffic laws and the issuing of citations for moving violations are recommended as strategies to enhance pedestrian safety. Enforcement is considered to be one element of a package of strategies that also includes education, traffic engineering, pedestrian provisions, and medical intervention.

It is not apparent that efforts are being made by either law enforcement agencies or the Driver License Division of the Utah Department of Public Safety to track the performance and credentials of Utah's drivers. An in-depth examination of Utah's pedestrian-vehicle crash data might reveal the extent of any problems with driver compliance. Tough post-crash procedures, such as driver license suspension, increased fines, and thorough driving record checks, might improve pedestrian safety. Pre-crash strategies might include random checks of driver license currency, consistently issuing citations for moving violations, and vehicle registration checks. Britt et al. (1995) recognize, however, that the long-term effects on pedestrian safety of various traffic enforcement efforts, including intensive campaigns and behavioral suggestions, are unclear.

The research for this study did not produce any findings on the effects of enforcement targeted at pedestrians. It is probable that the level of enforcement of pedestrian regulations varies widely between jurisdictions in Utah and abroad. It is not clear if a crackdown on jaywalking, for example, would have a noticeable or lasting effect on pedestrian safety. Pedestrians should nonetheless be encouraged to cross streets properly and to use the available facilities. Zegeer and Zegeer (1988) found that grade-separated pedestrian facilities are least likely to be used adjacent to high schools and colleges. A related finding is that, in Utah, busy roads in the vicinity of high schools and colleges have high pedestrian-vehicle crash rates (Cottrell et al. 2001). Pedestrian safety enforcement, combined with safety education and appropriate, user-friendly facilities, is recommended for the peripheral areas of campuses.