City Streets May Pose Fewer Risks to Pedestrian Safety Than Suburban Roads, Study Finds
Drivers and pedestrians alike may assume that busy urban streets put the well-nigh dangers to pedestrians. While pedestrian accidents do happen much besides ofttimes inward urban areas similar New York City as well as Philadelphia, a new study suggests that suburban roads may actually be more than unsafe to pedestrians than urban streets. The report was reported past a local NPR station in addition to was conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.
In the report, researchers analyzed 4 years of motorcar accident data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. They investigated records for all motor vehicle accidents that occurred inward 5 different counties around Philadelphia, and accounted for “population information, socioeconomic factors, different road types, as well as other factors.” What the study concluded was surprising: “the densest parts of the part—similar downtown Philly or suburban town centers—had lower accident rates than more than sprawling areas” around the Philadelphia suburbs.
“In a relatively dense metropolis like Philadelphia, you lot see traffic safety benefits coming with high density,” says Erick Guerra, ane of the co-authors of the report too an assistant professor of urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania. In other words, pedestrian safety initiatives inwards Philadelphia may really live working to cut back pedestrian accident rates, while pedestrian accidents inward the suburbs are not existence adequately addressed by metropolis planners too lawmakers exterior the metropolis eye. The high charge per unit of vehicle/pedestrian accidents in suburban areas may too live tied to the fact that suburban roads, dissimilar streets inwards downtown Philadelphia, are designed solely for motor vehicle function, rather than shared use by vehicles, pedestrians, as well as bicyclists.
According to Guerra, the most unsafe type of roads for pedestrians in Philadelphia suburbs are “the multi-lane arterial stroad.” Stroads are types of roads “that supersede many older Main Streets” too “aim to speed traffic through densely populated areas.” The speed limits are much higher than those on downtown metropolis streets, together with at that place are fewer terminate lights to curb speeding traffic, making them peculiarly dangerous for pedestrians to walk along or to cross.
Tips for Staying Safe every bit a Pedestrian
Whether you lot are walking on a busy urban street alongside sidewalks in addition to crosswalks, or are walking inwards a largely suburban area that is less densely populated, it is of import to remember tips for staying safe. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recommends the next safety tips for pedestrians:
- Make yourself visible;
- Remain inward well-lit areas;
- Remain warning;
- Avoid whatever distractions, including listening to music, talking on the call, or texting;
- Follow traffic rules, too pay attention to street signs in addition to signals;
- Assume that drivers do non encounter yous together with accept steps to live seen, too equally making eye contact alongside drivers before you lot cross the street;
- Use crosswalks when they are available;
- Walk on sidewalks when they are available; in addition to
- Never walk on roads prohibited for pedestrians, such as highways.
If y'all involve assistance filing a pedestrian accident claim, yous should hash out your instance amongst a pedestrian accident attorney every bit presently as you tin can.
