Attachment C <br />Implemeniing pedestrian safety interventions <br />Attachment B <br />Two of the most commonly used traffic-calming measures are raised pedestrian <br />crossings and road narrowing, discussed below. <br />Raised pedestrian crossings <br />There are two key ways to reduce fatal and serious pedestrian injuries: the first is to <br />separate pedestrians from motorized traffic, and the second is to slow vehicle speeds <br />to levels low enough that if a collision does occur, it will not result in fatal or serious <br />injury. Raised pedestrian crossings force vehicles to slow to speeds low enough that <br />a pedestrian would survive a collision. Reductions in pedestrian crashes of around <br />40% could be expected from the installation of a raised crossing (S). <br />The key considerations for a decision-maker and practitioner with regards to raised <br />pedestrian crossing are as follows: <br />. Raised crossings should be clearly marked and advance warning provided. <br />. They are not usually suitable for very high-speed environments. <br />. Additional benefits are likely if there are other traffic-calming devices in advance <br />of the crossing. <br />Road narrowing <br />There are a number of ways to narrow roads, including providing kerb extensions, <br />installing refuge islands, and widening footpaths by narrowing or even removing <br />lanes. Although a high-cost intervention, treatments that include widening footpaths <br />have the additional benefit of providing higher quality facilities for pedestrians. <br />Road narrowing has a double benefit of reducing both vehicular traffic speeds and <br />pedestrian crossing distances. The safety impact of road narrowing varies depending <br />on the treatments used. For example, provision of refuge islands could be expected to <br />reduce crashes by around 40% (S). <br />4.2.3 Improving the visibility of pedestrians <br />A high percentage of pedestrian collisions and deaths occur when lighting conditions <br />are low (see Module i). There are a number of engineering and behavioural measures <br />that make pedestrians more visible to motorists, especially during dusk, dawn, and at <br />night (2-4). These measures include: <br />. Providing crossing enhancements such as raised crossing islands and traffic signals. <br />. Implementing lighting and/or crossing illumination measures. Increasing <br />intensity of roadway lighting increases visibility of pedestrians at night, especially <br />at pedestrian crossings. This intervention has been associated with significant <br />reductions in night-time pedestrian crashes. For example, a study conducted in <br />Australia reported a 59% reduction in pedestrian crashes following improvement <br />in roadway lighting (3). <br />. Removing or repositioning physical objects that affect visibility, such as trees <br />and billboards that make it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians. Alternatively, <br />. Q <br />Page 224 <br />