CARTEEH logo with green car and plant

Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Enhance Cycle & Pedestrian Safety

Supporting cycle and pedestrian safety is essential to increasing and promoting the usage of alternative modes of transportation such as biking and walking.1 Implementing safer infrastructure like bike lanes and sidewalks will make people feel more comfortable walking and riding to their destinations. Since bicyclists and pedestrians are at risk on the road because they have little to no protection in the event of a crash, enhancing their safety is essential for transit agencies and local governments.2 Different parameters such as traffic reduction, speed reduction, junction treatments, redistribution of road space, and the creation of special facilities are considered to be measures used to create safer conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.3

Considering this strategy will help achieve the goal of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Transportation lifecycle phases

This strategy is associated with the following transportation lifecycle phases:

  • Construction
  • End of Life
  • Maintenance
  • Material Selection
  • Operations
  • Policy and Planning
  • Project Development

Who's involved

  • Local governments
  • Policymakers
  • State governments
  • Transit agencies
  • Vulnerable road users
Supporting cycle and pedestrian safety is essential to increasing and promoting the usage of alternative modes of transportation such as biking and walking.1 Implementing safer infrastructure like bike lanes and sidewalks will make people feel more comfortable walking and riding to their destinations. Since bicyclists and pedestrians are at risk on the road because they have little to no protection in the event of a crash, enhancing their safety is essential for transit agencies and local governments.2 Different parameters such as traffic reduction, speed reduction, junction treatments, redistribution of road space, and the creation of special facilities are considered to be measures used to create safer conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.3

How it Helps

Enhancing the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians will foster a safe environment where people can engage in a variety of social, cultural, and sports activities, thus promoting community connectivity. This can also indirectly lower traffic-related air and noise pollution if more community members feel safer engaging in active forms of transportation. Walking and cycling also decreases prevalence of chronic illnesses and promotes an overall healthier lifestyle.4

Implementing

Safety Programs:

Building safety programs that emphasize road users’ ability to get to their destination unharmed while encouraging safe and responsible conduct is essential. The availability of vehicle designs and features that contribute to accident prevention and reduce the effects of collisions on vulnerable road users will increase owing to these programs, which will also encourage safe speeds in all road-way situations.5

Driver’s Education:

Cyclist and pedestrian safety depends on motorists being informed on how to share the road with them. It’s critical to understand the regulations governing passing, yielding, and other scenarios in order to anticipate interactions between drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The state government should also take measures to include information regarding drivers’ obligations to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as best practices for operating vehicles safely around them.6

Actions and Policies:

Municipal authorities must prioritize the convenience of pedestrians and cyclists by offering infrastructure based on needs particularly suited to the elderly. In this case, the agencies must implement pedestrian penal systems, fines for texting and driving, or better road crossing procedures. The agencies should also place a strong emphasis on political commitment, as well as on institutional cooperation with private actors, multiple levels of government, and education, engineering, and enforcement.7

Examples

1) Federal Highway Administration Design Approach

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an organization under the U.S. Department of Transportation. FHWA published a letter in August 2013 titled ‘Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility’ that outlines the agency’s support for a flexible approach to the design of bicycle and pedestrian facilities. FHWA creates infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists and public education, promotion, and safety programs for utilizing such facilities. With the aid of grants, FHWA helps build and enhance bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/design_flexibility_memorandum_092013.pdf

2) Federal Transit Administration Assistance

As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is responsible for overseeing grants to state and municipal transit providers. For municipal public transportation systems, FTA offers both technical and financial assistance. Several FTA funding sources are ready to aid urban areas in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, enhance mobility, and make it easier for people to utilize public transit. For projects involving cyclists, the FTA has a list of grant programs eligible for financing.

https://www.transit.dot.gov/about-fta/

3) Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) has the primary goal to enhance safe walking and biking as viable modes of transportation and physical exercise, thereby enhancing communities’ quality of life. PBIC develops, synthesizes, promotes, and disseminates accurate and up-to-date information on walking and bicycling to ensure that citizens and professionals have access to the best available information. To achieve this, it oversees several websites, creates a range of papers, guides, and case studies, and provides technical support and training.

https://www.pedbikeinfo.org

1. Merck, A. (2019). Guidebook: Improving Public Transit and Active Transportation Integration. Salud America. https://salud-america.org/guidebook-improving-public-transit-and-active-transportation-integration/
2. National Road Safety Strategy. National Road Safety Action Plan 2018-2020: Pedestrian and cyclist safety. [cited 2022 Jul 7]. Available from: https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/action-plan/2018-2020/pedestrian_cyclist
3. European Transport Safety Council. (1999). Safety of Pedestrians and Cyclists in Urban Areas. [cited 2022 Jul 7]. Available from: http://archive.etsc.eu/documents/pedestrian.pdf#:~:text=Speed%20and%20traffic%20managementRoad%20safety%20engineering%20measures%20to,road%20space%20and%20the%20creation%20of%20special%20facilities
4. USDOT. (2019). Expand and Improve Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure. https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Expand-and-Improve-Bicycle-and-Pedestrian-Infrastructure
5. NHTSA. Pedestrian Safety. [cited 2022 Jul 7]. Available from: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety
6. Shinkle, D., et al. Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety. NCSL. [cited 2022 Jul 7]. Available from: https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/bicycle-and-pedestrian-safety.aspx
7. Haghighi, M., et al. (2020). Challenges related to pedestrian safety: a qualitative study identifying Iranian residents' perspectives. International journal of injury control and safety promotion, 273 327-335. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457300.2020.1774621