INNOVATION November-December 2012

pedestrian safety. In addition to continuing these efforts, the study recommended that street lighting be improved at locations with high numbers of collisions in hours of darkness, and that engineering treatments such as turn bays, turn signals and leading pedestrian intervals be considered to address intersections with high numbers of pedestrian collisions from turning vehicles. Conclusions The number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the City of Vancouver has generally been declining over recent years, however, pedestrians are still vulnerable. It is anticipated that continued efforts in engineering, enforcement and education will help to create a culture of courteous and considerate road behaviour, improving pedestrian safety and enhancing Vancouver’s reputation as a walkable city. v Alina Cheng PEng is a transportation engineer with the City of Vancouver, Traffic and Data Management Branch. The City of Vancouver acknowledges the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and the Vancouver Police Department for their partnerships on this project. The work was performed by Urban Systems, in association with Alta Planning + Design, Acuere Consulting and Dr Tarek Sayed from the University of British Columbia. The full report is available online at vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/ walking-safely-and-responsibly.aspx.

The Three “E”s To effectively improve pedestrian safety, efforts must encompass the three “E”s: education, enforcement and engineering. Historically, the City of Vancouver has focused on the infrastructure and enforcement components of pedestrian safety. To complement these efforts, a greater emphasis must now be placed on education to encourage courteous and lawful road user behaviour. Outreach to youth currently exists in the form of safety programs in schools. To increase public awareness of road safety, Vancouver launched its People are Fragile campaign in February 2012, in partnership with ICBC and the VPD. The campaign targeted common yet risky behaviours in which pedestrians, cyclists and motorists engage. Future collaborations with other agencies are recommended, as such partnerships enable agencies to pool their networks, resources and expertise, thereby achieving a greater impact. Enforcement also forms a key component of improving pedestrian safety and of supporting education efforts. The VPD has incorporated pedestrian safety into their Strategic Plan for 2012-2016, emphasizing enforcement during peak hours and at high pedestrian collision locations, as well as outreach to diverse communities. Similar to education, enforcement is an ongoing process and requires sustained efforts to affect change. In terms of engineering, the study found that current infrastructure strategies used in Vancouver, such as countdown timers, pedestrian signals, corner bulges and raised crosswalks, are effective at improving

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