INNOVATION November-December 2012

between 3 pm and 8 pm, during times with higher levels of pedestrian activity on the streets. A distinct seasonal pattern exists, with nearly 45% of pedestrian collisions occurring between November and February. While rainy weather conditions were a factor, lighting conditions were the main contributor as significantly more pedestrian collisions occurred during hours of darkness (see Figure 3).

Figure 1. Annual Number of Traffic and Pedestrian Collisions in Vancouver

In terms of fatalities, a total of 72 pedestrians were killed in traffic collisions from 2005 to 2010, averaging 12 per year. Pedestrians account for 45% of all traffic fatalities in Vancouver, highlighting their vulnerability. With a pedestrian fatality rate of 1.5 fatalities per 100,000 population, Vancouver is average among large cities in British Columbia and peer cities around the world. Where and How Collisions Occur – Overall, the study found that 75% of collisions involving pedestrians occurred at intersections. Half of these were intersections of two arterial streets, where high volumes of pedestrians and vehicles result in high potential for conflict. As shown in Figure 2, over half of all pedestrian collisions occurred when vehicles turned left or right, and in 82% of collisions the pedestrian had the right of way. Due to data limitations, factors such as speed, alcohol or the use of mobile devices were not examined.

Figure 3. Pedestrian Collisions by Month and Lighting Conditions (2005-2010)

Who Collisions Involve – The analysis examined the age and gender of pedestrians involved in collisions with vehicles. While males and females were roughly equally involved, two age groups were over-represented: young adults and seniors. As shown in Figure 4, people aged 15 to 29 accounted for a high proportion of pedestrian collisions resulting in injury, whereas people aged 65 and over accounted for a high proportion of pedestrian fatalities.

Figure 2. Types and Proportions of Pedestrian Collisions (2005-2010)

When Collisions Occur – Pedestrian collisions most frequently occurred in the afternoon and evening periods,

Figure 4. Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities by Age (2005-2010)

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