Bicycles/Pedestrians

Safety Toolbox: Problem identification

Uses

A comprehensive and systematic collision analysis for pedestrians and bicyclists entails a lot of work, but it could serve as a the basis for a more informed decision-making about where to spend the limited resources that are available. In this section are specific uses for the findings and conclusions obtained from detailed collision analyses:

Identifying and prioritizing interventions
Outreach
Grant applications
Planning uses

Identifying and prioritizing interventions

There are a whole host of tools that are available to fix pedestrian and bicyclist-involved problem areas:

MTC's Toolbox. Contains 70 types of engineering, enforcement, and education tools that are sortable by cost, crash type, and target population, and includes Bay Area-specific examples and contact information.
FHWA's Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System. Includes a selection tool, interactive matrices, countermeasures, and implementation case studies.
The Bicycle Matrix, Highway Safety Research Center. Bicycle-related countermeasures by crash type. Also includes percentage of collisions by crash type.
NHTSA's Safe Routes to School Toolkit.

Once countermeasures have been identified, there is no simple way to prioritize interventions and there are opportunity costs associated with fixing one problem versus another. Here are some factors to consider:

Level of danger. How badly is safety compromised?
Availability and amount of funding. How much would it cost to fix the problem and are there available funding sources to fix them?
Probability of success. What is the likelihood of eliminating the problem?
Partnerships needed. Do you need to work with others to fix the problem? Who are they and what are their priorities?
Timing. How long would it take to fix the problem?
Level of support. Would the fix be supported by elected officials and the public?
Anticipated benefits. If the problem were fixed, what is the potential to increase walking and/or cycling?

A matrix and a ranking system would facilitate the process of prioritizing which problems should be dealt with first.

Outreach

Engineering:

To evaluate the performance/usage of new or improved ped and bike facilities
To support the installations/construction of safe ped and bike facilities at problem locations
To justify a particular countermeasure that addresses a specific situation
Facts allow for decision-making to make most efficient use of limited resources

Education:

To educate the public about the Safety measures to avoid increasing injuries and fatalities
To promote Safety to target populations (children/seniors) as well as to the general public
To support development of public policy at all levels of government
To recognize the relationship between driving and bad behaviors (e.g. DUI, cell phone, etc.)
To recognize target population groups that will benefit with more education

Enforcement:

To demonstrate the need for slower speeds, signalization, or other traffic calming/control devices
To monitor the impacts of the built environment on pedestrians and bicyclists
To advocate for increased funding for successful programs or elimination of failure
To support findings for increased law enforcement patrols at specific locations, sites, and in general

Engagement:

To support passage of local ordinances, state and/or federal legislation
To concentrate efforts where more assistance is needed (geographically and demographically)
To expand collaborative efforts that focus on Health and Safety (e.g. public health community, injury prevention, Center for Disease Control)

Grant applications

Collision data strengthens the case for all safety-related grant applications. See Funding.

Planning uses

General Plan Circulation Elements
Pedestrian Master Plans, Bicycle Plans, Bike & Ped Plans
Transportation Master Plans
ADA Transition Plans
Countywide transportation planning efforts (CMAs, transportation authorities, etc.)
Safe Routes to Schools Site Plans
Streetscape Improvement Plans
Academic research studies (e.g. Chinatown scrambled crosswalk in Oakland)
Engineering and implementation studies
Pedestrian Facilities (countdown signals, Pedestrian scrambler, rat boxes, etc.) impact before/after implementation
Public Works Depts Capital Improvement Programs (CIPs) may prioritize based on safety criteria;
Traffic calming studies on roadways to make auto-oriented environments safer for pedestrians
Transit station area planning (e.g. to encourage safe access to stations)
Transit facilities planning (e.g. where to locate bus stops/benches to avoid attracting risky ped behaviors)
Targeted population groups (e.g. children, seniors) where collisions are highest
Analysis of data to determine contributing factors (time of day, lighting conditions, location/built environment