In 2022, pedestrian fatalities hit a 40-year high (GHSA). And while these numbers fell slightly in 2023, they still remain elevated from pre-pandemic numbers, with over 7,000 pedestrian deaths occurring in 2022 and 2023 (GHSA). This has left many transportation officials asking the question: How do we better protect vulnerable road users?
Unlike vehicles, vulnerable road users — such as pedestrians and cyclists — do not have external protection on the road, making them more prone to severe injuries and death. This makes utilizing various countermeasures to protect vulnerable road users vital, as these strategies are often designed to slow drivers down and increase awareness. Additionally, safety strategies like Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach have begun to gain popularity across the U.S., which focus on eliminating traffic deaths by taking a systematic approach to traffic safety. The Safe System Approach recognizes that humans are vulnerable, and how our roadways are designed should accommodate our vulnerabilities.
As pedestrians and other vulnerable road users continue to experience heightened danger, it’s important to address their vulnerabilities and other safety risks. From nighttime enhancements to speed management, there are a variety of countermeasures available — designed to help individual community needs.
1. RRFBs
One of the top ways to promote pedestrian safety in your community? Implement crosswalk measures. Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) are one of the FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures and extremely effective when it comes to alerting drivers to the presence of vulnerable road users. In fact, when the countermeasure was tested on multi-lane, uncontrolled crosswalks, a Florida study found that the addition of an RRFB crosswalk increased yield rate ranges from 0-26% to as high as 72-98% (FHWA).
Once activated, the RRFBs flash in a wig-wag simultaneous pattern to increase visibility distance and encourage compliance. Plus, RRFBs are now MUTCD-compliant in the 11th edition as of January 2024 and approved for use in a variety of applications, including:
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As a supplemental measure at uncontrolled pedestrian, trail and school crossings
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At crosswalks at free flow turn lanes
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At intersections with multiple crosswalks on the same uncontrolled approach
2. SafeWalk®
It’s no secret that most pedestrian fatalities occur in the dark — 78%, according to the NHTSA. And with how vulnerable pedestrians are in the evening hours, additional measures are needed to ensure their safety. Crosswalk illuminators like SafeWalk® are designed for exactly that — by flooding crosswalks with additional light in the evening hours, these enhancements maximize visibility of vulnerable road users even further.
But how effective are crosswalk illuminators? A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested them with TAPCO’s very own SafeWalk® and found that drivers were three times more likely to stop at illuminated crosswalks than dark ones. When paired with RRFBs, that number went up. Compared to crossings with no additional lighting, drivers approaching crosswalks equipped with RRFBs and crosswalk illumination were over 13 times more likely to yield to pedestrians.
3. VizMark®
Crosswalk enhancements don’t just stop at crosswalk illuminators — pavement marking enhancements like VizMark® are also designed to boost visibility. But this time, the enhancements are placed in advance of a crosswalk at stop and yield lines to provide additional context for motorists and elevate situational awareness. According to the FHWA, advance yield and/or stop markings can reduce pedestrian crashes by up to 25%, making illuminators a valuable addition for communities looking to create a safer nighttime environment.
And, did we mention that high-visibility crosswalks can reduce crashes by as much as 40% (FHWA)? By pairing multiple enhancements together, it’s possible to mitigate collisions between vehicles and pedestrians.
4. Speed Awareness
Speed is a major factor when it comes to the safety of vulnerable road users. If a pedestrian is struck at 23 mph, their risk of death is 10%. At 32 mph, it’s 25%. And at 42 mph, it jumps to 50% — a huge increase (U.S. DOT). Additionally, each year, speeding contributes to approximately one-third of all traffic deaths (NHTSA). Fortunately, it is possible to encourage slower speeds to work toward a safer environment for your community’s vulnerable road users.
Radar feedback signs can be a valuable addition to roadways that experience high levels of foot traffic, particularly in residential, school zone and urban areas. These signs have been proven to slow motorists in areas where low speeds are crucial — such as school zones, curves, work zones and the like (NHTSA). By showing motorists their speed, radar feedback signs increase awareness of their own speed, drawing attention to the posted speed limit and encouraging drivers to slow down.
Other speed calming measures worth noting include speed humps, roundabouts and road diets, as these can change the dynamic of roadways to promote slower speeds.
5. Smart City Platform
Physical, in-road measures aren’t the only way to keep your community’s vulnerable road users safe. In fact, it’s possible to actually enhance the management and effectiveness of crosswalk and school zone systems by leveraging technology like smart city platforms. By connecting the systems in your community to one central platform, smart city software like TAPCO’s BlinkLink® allows users to remotely manage their deployed systems. This includes capabilities like setting and scheduling alerts, tracking system alert status and health, gathering historical data and downloading system reports — all designed to help optimize the effectiveness and uptime of your systems.
Need assistance enhancing safety for vulnerable road users in your community? Our team of experts is happy to talk through any specific safety concerns you might have. Or, discover more ways to maximize vulnerable road user safety.