# Presentation: 057069

## Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety

- (This picture shows a bicyclist not wearing a helmet.
- FHWA strongly recommends that all bicyclists wear helmets.)

- Lesson 3

## Lesson Outline

- How is a crash different from an accident?
- Pedestrian and bicycle crashes:
- Number.
- Characteristics.
- Types.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Provide the students with an overview of the lesson.
Est. Presentation Time: 1 minute
Suggested Comments:
This slide is optional.
The term “accident” implies that the crash is unavoidable. “Crash” implies that engineering, enforcement, and education can be used to solve the problem.

## Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Tool (PBCAT).
Crash frequency using geographic information systems (GIS).
Crash countermeasures.
Benefit-cost analysis.

- Crash frequency using geographic information systems (GIS).
- Crash countermeasures.
- Benefit-cost analysis.

- Lesson Outline

**Notes:**
Key Message: Provide the students with an overview of the lesson (continued from previous slide).
Est. Presentation Time: 1 minute
Suggested Comments:
This slide is optional.
PBCAT is a crash classification software; geographic information systems, or GIS, can be used for frequency analysis; crash countermeasures and ways to justify them through benefit-cost analysis will also be discussed.

## Magnitude of the Problem

- In 2003:
- 4,749 pedestrians were killed.
- 622 bicyclists were killed.
- Bike/pedestrian crashes accounted for 13% of all highway fatalities.
- There were 70,000 urban pedestrian injuries.
- There were 46,000 urban bicyclist injuries.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Crash statistics describe the magnitude of the crash problem.
Est. Presentation Time: 3–5 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
The numbers listed underrepresent the real problem since less than 2/3 of the crashes are reported.

## Pedestrian Crash Characteristics

- Young people are overrepresented.
- 33% of all crashes result in serious injury or death.
- Alcohol or drugs are involved in about 15% of all crashes.
- Crashes most often occur during late afternoon or early evening hours.

**Notes:**
Key Message: These are the major focus areas of the crash problem.
Est. Presentation Time: 3–5 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
Breakdowns by age, gender, drug impairment, and other contributing factors, listed in the text, focus the user on some of the causes of the crash problem.

## Pedestrian Crash Characteristics

- About 2/3 of all crashes occur in urban areas.
- 69% of fatal pedestrian crashes occur at nonintersection locations.
- Most injury crashes occur at intersections.
- Pedestrians were solely at fault in 43% of crashes.
- Drivers were solely at fault in 35% of crashes.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Major focus areas of the crash problem (continued).
Est. Presentation Time: 3–5 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
Breakdowns by age, gender, drug impairment, and other contributing factors, listed in the text, focus the user on some of the causes of the crash problem.

## Fatality Trends

**Notes:**
Key Message: The bar chart shows the trend of fatalities and injuries over the past several years.
Est. Presentation Time: 1–3 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
The overall trend is decreasing, but some suggest that this could be due to reduced exposure (less people biking and walking).

## About 3/4 of all crashes occur at nonintersection locations.
Young people are overrepresented.
18% of bicycle-motor vehicle crashes result in serious injuries or death.

- Young people are overrepresented.
- 18% of bicycle-motor vehicle crashes result in serious injuries or death.

- Bicycle Crash Characteristics

**Notes:**
Key Message: These are the major focus areas of the bicycle crash problem.
Est. Presentation Time: 1–3 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
These are the same trends as for pedestrians: fatal crashes tend to happen on roadway segments; injuries happen at intersections.

## Crashes most often occur during late afternoon or early evening.
About 2/3 of all fatal crashes occur in urban areas.
Bicyclists were solely at fault in 50% of the crashes.
Younger bicyclists were at fault more often than drivers.
36% of crashes are parallel path collisions.
57% of crashes are crossing path collisions.

- About 2/3 of all fatal crashes occur in urban areas.
- Bicyclists were solely at fault in 50% of the crashes.
- Younger bicyclists were at fault more often than drivers.
- 36% of crashes are parallel path collisions.
- 57% of crashes are crossing path collisions.

- Bicycle Crash Characteristics

**Notes:**
Key Message: Major focus areas of the bicycle crash problem (continued).
Est. Presentation Time: 1 minute
Suggested Comments:
Crashes happen after school. Like pedestrian crashes, bicyclist crashes have decreased; however, education—especially for younger riders—is very important.

## Pedestrian/Bicycle Crash Types

**Notes:**
Key Message: This is an example of a bicycle crash type. Others are listed in the Federal Highway Administration University Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Student Workbook (Student Workbook). 
Est. Presentation Time: 5–8 minutes
Suggested Comments:
Spend about 30 seconds going over each crash type listed in the Student Workbook and describe some situations where these might occur (dart-out child chasing a ball near a playground).
Instructors could provide a series of slides here that directly illustrate the different crash types that are highlighted in the text of section 3.6.

## Crash Type Countermeasures 

- Sidewalks.
- Crosswalks.
- Bike lanes.
- Education.
- Small curb radii.
- Chokers.
- Pedestrian crossing islands.
- Speed humps versus speed tables.
- Full and partial street closures.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Listed are several countermeasures that can be used to solve some of the crash types just described.
Est. Presentation Time: 2–4 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
Use local examples of how a countermeasure was used to solve a crash problem. Also, ensure that students understand that putting bicyclists (and pedestrians) on paths does not necessarily improve safety. It may improve user comfort, but typically more conflicts and crashes will occur at path-street intersections.

## Crash Typing and Frequency Analysis

- PBCAT:
- Q&A-based crash typing.
- Suggested countermeasure.
- GIS:
- Hot spot analysis.
- Relational aspects.

*Source: HGAC  http://www.h-gac.com*

**Notes:**
Key Message: Several tools are available to show crash statistics and aid in the identification and analysis of crash locations.
Est. Presentation Time: 2–4 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
PBCAT assists in crash typing by asking the user a series of questions. This program can create a database and suggest countermeasures. The next two slides are examples of GIS hot spot analysis. Large clusters of crashes can indicate a problem; the severity of the problem is better illustrated by the next slide. Genuine severity might entail the calculation of the cost of the crashes.

## GIS Crash Frequency Analysis

*Source: HGAC  http://www.h-gac.com*

**Notes:**
Key Message: Here is an example of a GIS corridor analysis.
Est. Presentation Time: 1–3 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
In this example of a corridor analysis by frequency, the larger circle sizes indicate a greater number of crashes.

## Benefit-Cost Analysis

- Safety improvement index:
- Benefit-cost used to rank different projects.
- Benefit-cost ratio:
- Reduction in crash cost (benefit).
- Expected countermeasure cost.
- Three years of crash data.
- Projected traffic volumes.
- Service life of project.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Identifying the problem and proposing a solution are only part of the battle. Typically, a cost is associated with each improvement and an analysis is done to determine the most appropriate countermeasure.
Est. Presentation Time: 1–3 minutes 
Suggested Comments:
The safety improvement index (SII) is used to rank the different projects to determine which projects should be implemented first, based on set criteria.

## Lesson Summary

- Bicycle and pedestrian crashes are preventable.
- Bicycle and pedestrian crashes account for a significant portion of the highway safety problem in the United States.
- •	The types of crashes that occur and the characteristics of these crashes make prevention a more attainable goal.

**Notes:**
Key Message: Summarize the lesson and discuss any questions or issues with students.
Est. Presentation Time: 5 minutes
Suggested Comments:
Summarize the lesson and discuss any questions or issues with students.

## Many tools are available to assist in crash analysis.
Crashes and countermeasures have associated costs.
Safety improvement index or benefit-cost analysis can be used to rank safety projects.

- Crashes and countermeasures have associated costs.
- Safety improvement index or benefit-cost analysis can be used to rank safety projects.

- Lesson Summary

**Notes:**
Key Message: Summarize the lesson and discuss any questions or issues with students.
Est. Presentation Time: 5 minutes
Suggested Comments:
Summarize the lesson and discuss any questions or issues with students.