Wednesday 4 June 2008

Safer for pedestrians with or without lights?

Bruce Rosar via Eric Britton (New Mobility, The Commons):

Q: Are marked crosswalks safer than unmarked crosswalks?
A: The City of San Diego conducted a study in the 1970s, and the report conclusions are often cited as the first comprehensive study of crosswalk safety. Investigators in San Diego observed over 400 intersections during a five-year period. The study reported that "... more pedestrian accidents occur on marked crosswalks than unmarked ones by a ratio of approximately 6:1. Furthermore, comparison of the volume of pedestrians using the marked and unmarked crosswalks shows that the use ratio is approximately 3:1. This indicates, in terms of usage, that approximately twice as many pedestrian accidents occur on marked crosswalks as unmarked crosswalks. Evidence suggests that this poor accident record is not due to the crosswalk being marked as much as it is a reflection on the pedestrians' attitude and behavior when using the marked crosswalk..." Bruce Rosar http://www.rfcity.org/eng/Information/Crosswalks.htm

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