Innovative Worldwide Strategies for Promoting
Safer Walking as Part of a 'Vision Zero' Approach
Lauren Marchetti
Charlie Zegeer
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
UNC Highway Safety Research Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Presented at
WALK21 Vienna Conference 2015
Presentation Overview
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Vision Zero Objectives
Study Approach
Vision Zero Strategies
Needed Resources
Questions/Answers
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Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic
fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing
safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First
implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision
Zero has proved successful across Europe —
and now it’s gaining momentum in major
American cities.
Vision Zero Network
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• New York City:
Vision Zero seeks to
eliminate all deaths
from traffic crashes
regardless of
whether on foot,
bicycle, or inside a
motor vehicle.
• San Francisco:
Vision Zero seeks to
eliminate all road
deaths in San
Francisco by 2024
through education,
enforcement, and
road infrastructure
re-design.
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Worldwide Motor Vehicle Crashes
• 1.2 Million deaths per
year
• 20 to 50 million nonfatal injuries
• Crash fatalities are
comparable to deaths
from all communicable
diseases
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global
Status Report on Road Safety: Supporting a Decade
of Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press.
Worldwide Motor Vehicle Crashes
• 8th leading cause of death
worldwide; projected to be
5th by 2030
• Leading cause of death in the
world for people 15 to 29
years old
• About half of the road
fatalities are Vulnerable Road
Users (pedestrians, cyclists,
and users of motorized twowheeled vehicles)
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global Status Report on
Road Safety: Supporting a Decade of Action. Geneva, Switzerland:
WHO Press.
Number of Pedestrian Fatalities by Country
Number of Pedestrian Deaths
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global Status Report on Road Safety:
Supporting a Decade of Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press.
Study Approach
• International and National Search
• Three comprehensive sources:
1. PEDSAFE Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure
Selection System (Zegeer et al., 2013)
2. Evaluation of Pedestrian Related Roadway Measures: A
Summary of Available Research (Zegeer et al., 2013)
3. Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure (Bushell
et al., 2013)
• Nine Internet Transportation and Engineering Databases
Peer-reviewed academic papers, city published studies and
reports, conference presentations and periodicals,
government publications and reports, web pages and articles
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Countermeasure Categories
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Pedestrian Zones
Traffic Calming/Management
Pedestrian Crossings/Intersections
Traffic Signal Options
Education, Enforcement, & Legislation
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Pedestrian Zones
1. Temporary and Permanent Street
Closures
2. Senior Zones
3. Neighborhood Slow Zones
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Permanent Street
Closures
Full-Street Closures
• Block street from all
motor-vehicle traffic
Partial Street Closures
• Restrict access to only
resident and emergency
vehicles
Safety Effects
• Reduced average traffic
speeds and volumes
• Aides in comprehensive,
area-wide traffic
calming
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Temporary Street
Closures
Pedestrian Activity Closures
• Street used to promote
pedestrian safety and
walking through activities
and events
“Pedestrian Paradises”
• Regularly scheduled,
usually weekly, (i.e.
Weekends from noon to
6pm as used in Japan and
Australia)
Safety Effects
• Improves overall walking
environment
• Promotes walk-friendly
culture
Ginza Pedestrian Paradise in Tokyo, Japan.
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Senior Zones
• Increases awareness of
seniors
• Slows traffic to safer speeds
• Accommodates specific needs
of seniors at crossing
locations
Safety Effects
• Reduced vehicle speeds
• Reduced crash risk for seniors
• Increased safety perceptions
Chicago and Phoenix- Senior
crashes reduced 13.7%
throughout city and 46.4% within
senior zones.
Singapore- Senior “Silver Zones”
opened in 2014 have already
improved safety perceptions.
Senior zone in Singapore.
Signage, Refuge Islands, Chicanes,
Pavement Markings, lower posted
speed limits, crossing treatments.
Source: Singapore Land Transport
Authority
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Neighborhood Slow
Zones
• Residential areas that
employ traffic calming
measures to reduce
vehicle speeds
Safety Effects
• Reduces vehicle speeds
and volumes;
• Reduces cut through traffic
• Reduces pedestrian
crashes and injuries
• Reduces traffic noise, and
improved quality of life
Examples: New York City and
London- (32% reduction in
pedestrian crashes & injuries).
Neighborhood Slow Zones in New York City
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Traffic Calming and Management
1. Landscaping
2. Trials and Temporary Installations
3. Chicanes
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Landscaping
• Creates a visual
narrowing of the
roadway, and visual
separation between
vehicle and pedestrians
Seattle, WA
Safety Effects
• Reduced vehicle speeds
and crashes
• Increases driver
awareness of
pedestrians
Bridgeport Way in University Place, WA.
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Trials and Temporary Installations
• Temporary devices used as a way to
test traffic calming for the first time
or to help elicit desired behavioral
changes for drivers
Safety Effects
• Reduced vehicle speeds and volumes
• Improved countermeasure use
• Reduced collisions
• Cost savings
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Chicanes
• Concrete islands that create
horizontal diversion of traffic
to reduce vehicular speeds
Safety Effects
• Reduced vehicle speeds
• Need to ensure bicyclists
safety and mobility is not
diminished
• May reduce on-street parking
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Pedestrian Crossing and Intersection
Design Treatments
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2.
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Raised Crosswalks
Modern Roundabouts
Refuge Islands & Curb Ramps
Parking Restrictions—“Daylighting”
Curb Radius Reduction & Curb
Extensions
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Raised Crosswalks
• Vertical traffic control measures
at crossings and midblock
locations used to reduce vehicle
speeds, increase driver visibility,
improve accessibility and
eliminate the need for curb
ramps.
• Not Speed Humps
Safety Effects
• Reduced vehicle speeds
• Improved visibility
• Increased driver-yielding
• Better access for pedestrians
with disabilities
• Emergency vehicle issues
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Modern Roundabouts
• Replaces the need for
controlled intersections
by allowing vehicles to
flow into the circle and
yield rather than stop
Safety Effects
• Increased driveryielding
• Reduced vehicle speeds
• Reduced conflicts and
crashes
• May complicate access
for visually impaired
pedestrians
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Refuge Islands & Curb Ramps
• Raised areas in the roadway
medians that protect
pedestrians attempting to
cross and break the crossing
into two stages
• Can be constructed at
angles to the right so that
pedestrians look in direction
of oncoming traffic
Safety Effects
• Reduced conflicts and
crashes
• Increased driver yielding
rates and distance
• Improved pedestrian
scanning behavior and
reduced exposure time
Bottom: Mid-block diagonal
pedestrian refuge island with
curb extensions
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Parking Restrictions at
Crossings—Daylighting
• Involves removing parking
spaces adjacent to curbs
• Commonly used with curb
extensions, pavement
marking or vertical
delineators
Safety Effects
• Increases sight distance
• Reduces dart-dash
pedestrian crashes
• Improves pedestrian
scanning behavior and
driver visibility
• May use physical barriers
and enforcement of illegal
parking
Top: Hoboken, NJ used
vertical delineators to
prevent illegal parking.
Source: PEDSAFE
Bottom: The UK uses painted
zig-zag pavement markings to
indicate a crossing area and noparking or passing zones.
Source: VDOT
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Curb Radius Reduction and
Curb Extensions
• Curb radius reduction works to
reduce collision risk by forcing a
sharper turn with reduced speed
• Curb extensions extend the
sidewalk or curb line into the
street and reduce crossing
distances
Safety Effects
• Reduces crash severity and
frequency
• Reduces turning speeds
• Reduces pedestrian crossing
exposure time
• Improves visibility
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Traffic Control Devices-Signals
1. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
(RRFBs)
2. Pedestrian-Friendly Traffic Signals
(PELICAN and PUFFIN Crossing
Signals)
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Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons
(RRFB)
• A type of LED flashing
beacon installed with
pedestrian warning signs at
midblock and un-signalized
intersection crossings
• They increase motorist
yielding and decrease
conflicts with pedestrians
Safety Effects
• Increased driver yielding
• Reduced crashes and
conflicts
• Reduced trapped
pedestrians
• Reduced crossing delay
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Pedestrian Friendly
Traffic Signals
• Puffin and Pelican Signals, as
used in Europe, allow
pedestrians to call a walk
phase using a push-button
and get extra crossing time
at uncontrolled crosswalks
Safety Effects
• Reduced crashes and
conflicts
• Reduced crossing violations
• Improved pedestrian
scanning
• Improved crossing times for
slower pedestrians (seniors)
• Increased Driver Yielding
A Pelican at a two-stage crossing in Tucson, AZ.
Source: www.tuscon.gov
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Education, Enforcement, and
Legislation
1. Public Education Campaigns
2. Speed Enforcement Cameras
3. Legislation
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Public Education Campaigns
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Used to augment and
enhance pedestrian safety
effects from engineering
treatments
• Pedestrian Safety
Campaigns target both
drivers and pedestrians
• Messages for pedestrians
involve being alert around
traffic, making eye contact
with drivers, and avoiding
distractions (Top)
• Messages targeting drivers
focus on yielding to
pedestrians in crosswalks,
reducing speeds, and
avoiding distractions
(Middle, Bottom)
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Speed Enforcement
Cameras
• Electronic devices installed at
midblock locations and
intersections to monitor and
enforce posted speed limits.
• They allow for non-manual
enforcement and gathering
of photographic evidence.
Safety Effects
• Improves driver speed
compliance.
• Reduces vehicle speeds.
• May reduce crashes.
• Should be accompanied with
extensive public awareness
and information campaigns.
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Legislation
A wide range of legislation changes can be effective in improving
pedestrian safety.
These include:
1. Area-wide speed limit reduction
2. Safe routes to school funding and programs.
3. Stronger motorist yielding laws
4. Stricter consequences for drunk driving
Safety Effects
• May reduce vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian and motorist
behavior, and crash risk
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What Can Agencies Do Now to Implement
a Vision Zero Program?
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Designate pedestrian safety as a emphasis area
Identify key stakeholders and champions
Analyze pedestrian crash data
Quantify crash characteristics & location clusters
Identify crash problems and establish goals
– Reduce 10% of child crashes each year
– Reduce nighttime ped./bike crashes by 25% by year 2018
– Reduce senior pedestrian crashes by 5% per year
• List safety measures to accomplish goals
• Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
• Secure funding and Implement 3 E’s and policy changes to meet
Vision Zero goals
Questions?
Ask Charlie a question?
Charles V. Zegeer
Director, Pedestrian and Bicycle Information
Center
Associate Director for Engineering and Planning,
UNC Highway Safety Research Center
zegeer@hsrc.unc.edu