Pedestrian and cyclist crashes in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Datasets employed. In-depth at-scene investigations of motor vehicle road crashes in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area were conducted in the period April 2002 to October 2005. The database from that study is used to throw light upon pedestrian and pedal cyclist crashes. The database of routinely-reported crashes is also utilised in respect of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. Results. As pedestrian casualties are more numerous than cyclist casualties, the majority of results concern the former. In the 81 cases in the in-depth series, many different types of pedestrian accident can be identified. Of the 40 pedestrian fatalities in 2003-2006, 29 fell into at least one of the following three categories: at night, pedestrian was drunk, or pedestrian was elderly. Two points to note about this contrast between the two series are that (1) the in-depth study concentrated on crashes in normal working hours, and thus nighttime crashes are underrepresented, and consequently so is drunkenness, and (2) it is an open question whether there really are only three types of central story that cover the majority of pedestrian fatalities, or whether this finding is a consequence of the lack of detail in routine police data. Countermeasures. Taking the several series of crashes together, seven issues are prominent, and are discussed from the point of view of possible countermeasures: nighttime; drunkenness of pedestrians; visual obstruction by traffic; visual obstruction by roadside objects; possible improvements to other details of the road; trucks (visibility from the cab, and side protection); speed. There is also consideration of the competing needs for space of environmentally-friendly modes and motorised modes of transport: perhaps users of power-assisted cycles (slow motorcycles) are a potential natural ally of pedestrians and pedal cyclists in the demand for urban space.