Pedestrian safety - Global Road Safety Partnership

Pedestrian safety: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners
Executive summary
Road traffic crashes kill about 1.24 million people each year. More than one fifth
of these deaths occur among pedestrians. Pedestrian collisions, like all road
traffic crashes, should not be accepted as inevitable because they are, in fact, both
predictable and preventable. Key risk factors for pedestrian road traffic injury are
vehicle speed, alcohol use by drivers and pedestrians, lack of safe infrastructure for
pedestrians and inadequate visibility of pedestrians. Reduction or elimination of
the risks faced by pedestrians is an important and achievable policy goal. Proven
interventions exist, yet in many locations pedestrian safety does not attract the
attention it merits.
This manual provides information for use in developing and implementing
comprehensive measures to improve pedestrian safety. The extent of pedestrian
fatalities and injuries, and the importance of addressing the key associated risk factors
for pedestrian injury, are examined. The steps outlined for conducting a situational
assessment to help with prioritizing interventions and preparing a related plan of
action, are intended to assist with the implementation of effective interventions, and
evaluation of pedestrian safety measures. While the focus of the manual is on subnational
administrative units, the strategies presented can be applied at the national
level. It is hoped that the modular structure of this manual enables adoption to suit
the needs and problems of individual countries. The manual is applicable worldwide
but specifically targets decision-makers and practitioners in low- and middleincome
countries.
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