Pedestrian safety - Global Road Safety Partnership

Introduction
Pedestrian safety manual
Why was the manual developed?
Studies show a disproportionate involvement of pedestrians, cyclists and motorized
two-wheelers in road traffic injuries. For instance, the first Global status report on
road safety revealed that nearly half (46%) of those killed in road traffic crashes
are pedestrians, cyclists or users of motorized two wheelers (2). More recently, the
second Global status report on road safety 2013: supporting a decade of action examined
pedestrians independently from other vulnerable road users, and showed that 22%
of those killed on the world’s roads are pedestrians (3). As shown in both the Global
status report on road safety (2,3) and World report on road traffic injury prevention (1),
there are regional and national differences in the distribution of road-user mortality.
Countries must address the problem of pedestrian safety by implementing effective
measures. There are several recommendations that call on governments to take into
consideration the needs of all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, when
making decisions about road design and infrastructure, land-use planning and
transport services (3). This manual supports countries in achieving this objective with
a specific focus on pedestrians.
Who is the manual for?
This manual will benefit a variety of users, but the primary target audiences are
engineers, planners, enforcement professionals, public health professionals and
educators and other such people who have responsibility to improve pedestrian
safety at the local and sub-national levels. Though the application of this manual
can be at the national level, the settings envisaged are sub-national geographical
and administrative units such as provinces or states, districts, cities, towns,
neighbourhoods and communities. A secondary target audience are decision-makers
and leaders in government and nongovernmental organizations, who provide overall
policy support on road safety, transport and land-use planning.
What does the manual cover?
The manual provides information to use in designing and implementing
interventions that can improve pedestrian safety in local and sub-national settings
around the world. A summary of the content of each module is presented below:
Module 1 stresses the need to promote pedestrian safety in transport planning and
presents data on the magnitude of pedestrian fatalities and risk factors.
Module 2 examines the extent of pedestrian consideration and inclusion in land-use,
transport and public space planning.
Module 3 outlines steps for prioritizing interventions and preparing a pedestrian
safety plan of action.
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