Examining the Pre-Crash Circumstances Leading to Pedestrian Fatalities

Introduction

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable roadway users due to their high risk of injury or death in collisions with vehicles. In recent years the proportion of pedestrian fatalities to total fatalities resulting from traffic crashes on the nation’s roadways has been steadily increasing. Most existing studies rely heavily on traditional crash datasets, and analysis tends to focus on identifying individual crash factors rather than examining how combinations of factors may contribute to pedestrian fatalities. More research is needed to further diagnose the pre-crash conditions leading to pedestrian fatalities and to identify and prioritize recommended actions and countermeasures to reduce these crashes.

Project Goal and Plan

The objective of this research is to examine the pre-crash conditions leading to pedestrian fatalities by utilizing data sources beyond traditional crash databases. The research approach will utilize a variety of traditional and non-traditional data sources including crash data (including narratives and diagrams), roadway inventory data, traffic volume data, Google Street View, land use and access data, socio-economic and demographic data, and media reports. The results of this research will help practitioners prioritize recommended actions or countermeasures most likely to be effective and most beneficial to reducing pedestrian fatalities.