Pedestrians Take Risks

Many times, if a pedestrian seems to be taking risksin traffic, there is an underlying cause for that behavior that needs to be addressed, through education, enforcement, or engineering solutions or a combination of efforts.

Below are some examples of poor or unsafe pedestrian behaviors and potential solutions:

  • Pedestrians cross against the signal
    • Consider signal timing issues to reduce the wait time.
    • Educate pedestrians on waiting for the light and looking both ways.
    • Enforce proper behaviors through warnings and incentive programs.
  • Pedestrians walk in the road
    • Consider the need for sidewalk and lighting improvements.
    • Provide missing sidewalk/shoulders or sidewalk maintenance.
    • Educate pedestrians on safe places and ways (e.g., against traffic) to walk.
    • Educate pedestrians on good ways to improve their visibility.
  • Pedestrians fail to look for cars before crossing
    • Consider sight distance and visibility issues at the crossing.
    • Educate pedestrians on looking both ways.
    • Provide adult monitors or crossing guards if the pedestrians are children walking to or from school.
    • Alert drivers of pedestrian crossing activity.
  • Pedestrians jaywalk or cross midblock at undesirable crossing locations
    • Consider signal timing issues to reduce the wait time.
    • Consider the distance between intersections and important pedestrian generators that may warrant additional crossing treatments.
    • Educate pedestrians to cross at safer locations.
    • Consider the location of transit stops.
    • Enforce proper behaviors through warnings and incentive programs.
    • Alert motorist of crossing activity and take measures to slow/calm traffic or conduct enforcement.
    • Improve midblock lighting if this activity occurs at night.
  • People are walking while intoxicated
    • Educate pedestrians on the dangers of walking (or driving) while intoxicated.
    • Encourage citizens to designate an escort home, no matter how they travel, or drink in moderation.
    • Consider safety improvements in areas with many alcohol distributors (bars, restaurants), including lighting, fencing, crossing improvements, median islands, etc.
    • Improve enforcement where these unsafe behaviors and create local ordinances which empower law enforcement officials to take corrective action.