Urgent action needed to tackle deaths of pedestrians and cyclists

A new Pin Flash Report published by ETSC today is calling on more action concerning the safety of vru´s (vulnerable road users)

french Resumé: Pin 38 F

Deaths ( and serious injuries ?) of cyclists in the EU have fallen eight times more slowly than deaths of motor vehicle occupants in the EU since 2010,  ETSC is calling for urgent action to ensure that sustainable modes of transport such as walking and cycling, are made much safer.

99% of pedestrian deaths, and 83% of cyclist deaths recorded are as a consequence of an impact with a motor vehicle.  These groups are, by far, the least likely to harm other road users.

The research revealed that half of all cyclists and pedestrians that die on EU roads are over the age of 65. Older people are more fragile and less able to recover from serious injuries. However, Europe’s aging population needs to stay active and mobile for reasons of health and wellbeing. ETSC says the challenge is how to improve safety while walking or cycling, particularly for high-risk groups such as the elderly and children.

What can ( should) be done:

Report 38 (pdf): 38e PIN FLASH ETSC

E-Scooters & Injuries

Urban Health Scare: E-Scooters Show Alarming Spike in Injuries

Hospital Admissions Quadrupled in Last Four Years, UCSF Study Finds, Mainly in Young Adults  

Nearly a third of the patients suffered head trauma – more than twice the rate of head injuries to bicyclists.

“E-scooters are a fast and convenient form of transportation and help to lessen traffic congestion, especially in dense, high-traffic areas but we’re very concerned about the significant increase in injuries and hospital admissions that we documented, particularly during the last year, and especially with young people, where the proportion of hospital admissions increased 354 percent.” 

Danger for other VRU’s?

Future research into pedestrian and cyclist trauma associated with e-scooter use is needed

more: Patient Care January 8, 2020

By Elizabeth Fernandez

Pedestrian deaths

Several factors contribute to these crashes, but something experts agree has played a significant role in the fatality increase in recent years is the rise of SUVs. Over the past decade, pedestrian deaths involving SUVs jumped up 81%, a bigger bump than any other vehicle, according to the IIHS.

Picture: Peter Carr/The Journal News

1. Higher front ends of SUVs are more likely to cause injury to pedestrians’ chests and heads.
2.  Distraction by smartphones could also be adding to roadway dangers:People — including drivers and pedestrians — can’t stop looking at their phones
3. Alcohol — for the driver or the pedestrian:32% of pedestrian fatalities involve a pedestrian with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher, and 17% of those deaths involve a driver who has a BAC of at least .08% (NHTSA)

According to the traffic safety institute, the top three contributing factors to pedestrian crashes in 2018 were failure to yield right-of-way, driver inattention or distraction, and pedestrian error or confusion.

But what about speed: we all know the difference between death or live through the differnce of 50km/h versus 30km/h:

more: Matt Spillane Rockland/Westchester Journal News Published 8:57 AM EST Jan 14, 2020

 

Vision ZERO in OSLO

Reducing the number of cars reduced the number of traffic fatalities

Oslo has not only reduced the number of places where it is possible to drive, the city has also lowered the speed limit, which significantly contributes to a reduction in deaths, said Christoffer Solstad Steen of Trygg Trafik.

Before and after:

Oslo saw zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths in 2019.

Progress was also uneven for Oslo in the early years after setting its own Vision Zero goal. But it’s Oslo’s car-free zones that have made the difference.

more: Vision Zero Oslo