Pedestrians: What Do We Know?
The “Pedestrians: What Do We Know?” fact sheet, developed by Robyn D. Robertson, Traffic Injury Research Foundation, contains an overview of the pedestrian safety issues in Canada. It summarizes the latest statistics in relation to the number of pedestrians killed and injured each year, describes high-risk groups of pedestrians, and key factors that contribute to pedestrian collisions. It also reviews common characteristics associated with pedestrian collisions, the types of drivers involved in these collisions, and ways that pedestrians and drivers can better protect themselves on the road.
According to the report, almost 9,000 pedestrians were killed and hundreds of thousands were injured in Canada in road collisions between 1989 and 2009 – slightly more than 300 pedestrians per year. Transport Canada conducted an analysis of pedestrian collisions and revealed that 60% of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes were trying to cross the road. The total number of pedestrians killed on Canada’s roadways each year are declining; however, deaths amongst pedestrians remain stagnant.
Why are pedestrians more likely to be killed or injured in collisions?
It has been estimated that pedestrians are 284 times more likely to be killed or injured in a collision than motorists because they lack the hard, protective exterior of a vehicle, or safety features to protect them. Pedestrians are smaller and less visible, especially when they are jaywalking or when weather affects visibility.
Older pedestrians are at an increased risk because of mobility issues and declines in vision, hearing and perceptual skills. Younger audience are also at an increased risk due to less developed cognitive, visual, and auditory senses and their smaller size. Distraction is a growing concern for pedestrian and road safety.
What can drivers do to promote pedestrian road safety?
The severity of the injuries to a pedestrian who has been struck depends on the vehicle speed at the point of impact. When pedestrians are stuck at 50km/h, they are 8 times more likely to be killed than if they are struck at 30km/h. Pedestrians have a 50% chance of survival at speeds of 40-45km/h.
What can pedestrians do to promote pedestrian road safety?
What can policy makers do to promote pedestrian road safety?
To view the detailed Community-Based Toolkit for Road Safety Campaign , please click here.
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