Road safety and pedestrians
Monday, 9 May 2011
Shafiqul Alam
Pedestrians are the largest single road user group, because all road users are pedestrians to some extent. Unfortunately, this group is subjected to higher risk of road accidents. In case of a crash with a motor vehicle, it is the pedestrian who bleeds. Some blame drivers for their careless driving and some blame traffic personnel for their failure to enforce rules; but many a time, pedestrians themselves are responsible for accidents too. Walking is the only option available to a significant portion of the population in Dhaka due to high rate of urban growth, large poor population group, and high density. Many people are "out-and-out walkers," therefore, it is necessary to provide space for them. But the footpaths being occupied by illegal constructions, hawkers, cars, rickshaws and push carts, and garbage bins; pedestrians have, certainly, little choice but to travel along roads in close proximity to fast vehicles. Reckless driving and regular violation of traffic rules by drivers put lives of pedestrians in danger. Again, mindless competition, particularly, among public transports is a common sight in the city streets where authorities having little control over the situation. Therefore, it is crucial to work towards a change in drivers' behavior. Legal action should be taken if drivers do not comply with speed limits. Drivers should be made alert for pedestrians around built-up areas, schools, shopping centers, commercial areas and other high volume pedestrian areas. Traffic speed should be reduced to levels appropriate to current conditions; Crossing the road is a task that involves a number of skills. These include judging the speed of vehicles, and finding a sufficient gap to safely cross the road. Young children, old people and handicapped are particularly poor at these kinds of speed and gap judgment tasks. Some road safety engineering measures aimed at raising the priority given to pedestrians are suggested below: = Provision of wider and free footpaths; = Provision of adequate crossing facilities to satisfy the convenience of both pedestrians and the moving vehicles; = Provision for more over and underpasses; = Provision of exclusive signal stages at signalised junctions to give pedestrians safe opportunities to cross. = Encouraging the use of pedestrian crossings and footpaths where they exist; = Vulnerable pedestrian groups should be educated on safe pedestrian behavior; = Training of school children on simple and basic traffic rules and the development of practical skills to use the road network safely. The benefits of the aforementioned approach are often long term ones. That is why road safety publicity campaigns have to be regularly organised to constantly improve road user behavior and attitudes to road safety problems and issues. Over the years, the users of the motor vehicle have been given greater importance in comparison to other vulnerable road users including pedestrians. Much effort is still needed to provide free footpaths, and safe and adequate crossing facilities. This is often demonstrated just after a pedestrian fatal accident, when people take it to the streets and demand traffic improvement measures. Mitigating the environmental consequences of motorisation, so as to foster a healthy walking atmosphere, is a long-term process that may take some years to achieve. However, education can augment pedestrian safety. Relatively wealthy private automobile owners can easily influence infrastructure decision-makers to fund projects which facilitate automobile use, but which bring little or no benefit to the majority of the population. Transport and development specialists have usually not given the same priority to projects for pedestrians as those for new roads. As a result, investments for pedestrians' safety and smooth movement are rarely viewed. Most of the foot overbridges are too dirty to use by pedestrians that many prefer to cross the road as a short cut to avoid the trouble of using footbridges and it is a psychological stress to go upward. At the same time, drivers of both slow and fast moving vehicles change their lanes frequently to go first and avoid congestion. This creates further problems. Many a time, traffic personnel fail to enforce traffic rules and regulations properly. Moreover, we the people in general like to break rules and regulations too often even when it is not necessary. Thus it is highly unlikely that only rules and regulations will ensure pedestrian safety, rather it is necessary to change attitudes from both ends that means from both drivers and pedestrians. The writer is an engineer, and can be reached at E-mail : shafiqul0032@yahoo.com
Pedestrians are the largest single road user group, because all road users are pedestrians to some extent. Unfortunately, this group is subjected to higher risk of road accidents. In case of a crash with a motor vehicle, it is the pedestrian who bleeds. Some blame drivers for their careless driving and some blame traffic personnel for their failure to enforce rules; but many a time, pedestrians themselves are responsible for accidents too. Walking is the only option available to a significant portion of the population in Dhaka due to high rate of urban growth, large poor population group, and high density. Many people are "out-and-out walkers," therefore, it is necessary to provide space for them. But the footpaths being occupied by illegal constructions, hawkers, cars, rickshaws and push carts, and garbage bins; pedestrians have, certainly, little choice but to travel along roads in close proximity to fast vehicles. Reckless driving and regular violation of traffic rules by drivers put lives of pedestrians in danger. Again, mindless competition, particularly, among public transports is a common sight in the city streets where authorities having little control over the situation. Therefore, it is crucial to work towards a change in drivers' behavior. Legal action should be taken if drivers do not comply with speed limits. Drivers should be made alert for pedestrians around built-up areas, schools, shopping centers, commercial areas and other high volume pedestrian areas. Traffic speed should be reduced to levels appropriate to current conditions; Crossing the road is a task that involves a number of skills. These include judging the speed of vehicles, and finding a sufficient gap to safely cross the road. Young children, old people and handicapped are particularly poor at these kinds of speed and gap judgment tasks. Some road safety engineering measures aimed at raising the priority given to pedestrians are suggested below: = Provision of wider and free footpaths; = Provision of adequate crossing facilities to satisfy the convenience of both pedestrians and the moving vehicles; = Provision for more over and underpasses; = Provision of exclusive signal stages at signalised junctions to give pedestrians safe opportunities to cross. = Encouraging the use of pedestrian crossings and footpaths where they exist; = Vulnerable pedestrian groups should be educated on safe pedestrian behavior; = Training of school children on simple and basic traffic rules and the development of practical skills to use the road network safely. The benefits of the aforementioned approach are often long term ones. That is why road safety publicity campaigns have to be regularly organised to constantly improve road user behavior and attitudes to road safety problems and issues. Over the years, the users of the motor vehicle have been given greater importance in comparison to other vulnerable road users including pedestrians. Much effort is still needed to provide free footpaths, and safe and adequate crossing facilities. This is often demonstrated just after a pedestrian fatal accident, when people take it to the streets and demand traffic improvement measures. Mitigating the environmental consequences of motorisation, so as to foster a healthy walking atmosphere, is a long-term process that may take some years to achieve. However, education can augment pedestrian safety. Relatively wealthy private automobile owners can easily influence infrastructure decision-makers to fund projects which facilitate automobile use, but which bring little or no benefit to the majority of the population. Transport and development specialists have usually not given the same priority to projects for pedestrians as those for new roads. As a result, investments for pedestrians' safety and smooth movement are rarely viewed. Most of the foot overbridges are too dirty to use by pedestrians that many prefer to cross the road as a short cut to avoid the trouble of using footbridges and it is a psychological stress to go upward. At the same time, drivers of both slow and fast moving vehicles change their lanes frequently to go first and avoid congestion. This creates further problems. Many a time, traffic personnel fail to enforce traffic rules and regulations properly. Moreover, we the people in general like to break rules and regulations too often even when it is not necessary. Thus it is highly unlikely that only rules and regulations will ensure pedestrian safety, rather it is necessary to change attitudes from both ends that means from both drivers and pedestrians. The writer is an engineer, and can be reached at E-mail : shafiqul0032@yahoo.com