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10 Things You Need to Know about Road Safety

Mobility Hierarchy Pyramid

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) created a pyramid-shaped mobility hierarchy to guarantee the universal right to mobility and to foster forms of transportation that promote equity, social benefit, and less environmental harm.

The ITDP’s mobility pyramid prioritizes pedestrians (especially people with disabilities, children, the elderly, etc.), and then cyclists, public transportation users, freight transport, and lastly cars and motorcycles.

10 things you need to know about road safety

PEDESTRIANS

1

Data from the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) indicate that almost half (49%) of roadway deaths worldwide are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

2

According to the PAHO, the number of accidents involving pedestrians drops where there are sidewalks and elevated medians.

3

PAHO information shows that a high percentage of collisions with pedestrians and pedestrian fatalities happen when lighting conditions are poor.

4

According to the PAHO, reducing the number of lanes improves road safety, especially as pertains to pedestrians and cyclists because traffic flow is slower.

5

PAHO findings show that the wider a roadway, the greater the risk of pedestrians experiencing an accident as traffic flow is greater and faster, making it more dangerous to cross the road by foot.

6

When the roadway does not have sidewalks, it is 1.5 to 2 times more likely that there will be a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian, according to the PAHO.

7

The PAHO indicates that for pedestrians, the main risk factors for accidents are speeding, alcohol consumption, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, and insufficient visibility of pedestrians.

8

Pedestrians distracted by telephone conversations or other kinds of activities, such as listening to music or texting, take more risks when crossing public roads, according to the PAHO.

9

PAHO information shows that almost all serious injuries occur due to pedestrians being directly hit by a vehicle, not from the pedestrian falling to the roadway.

10

The risk of death for pedestrians that have been directly hit by a car rises quickly with increasing speed. For example, if we go from 31 mph (50 km/h) to 40 mph (65 km/h), the risk goes up by 4.5 times, according to the WHO.

10 things you need to know about road safety

CYCLISTS

1

Data from the PAHO reveals that cyclists’ helmets cut the risk of brain trauma and head injury by 69% and the risk of serious brain trauma by 79%.

2

Two-thirds of serious injuries to cyclists that require hospitalization and three-fourths of cyclists’ deaths are a consequence of brain trauma, according to the PAHO.

3

According to the PAHO, 89% of roads with bicycle activity, and where the average speed is 25 mph (40 km/h) or higher, do not offer bicycle infrastructure.

4

The PAHO indicates that cyclists’ helmets are equally effective for all age groups, including small children and the elderly.

5

According to the PAHO, helmets are not only effective at preventing injuries when a person falls off a bicycle onto the ground, but they are also equally effective in collisions with motor vehicles and in other kinds of crashes.

6

PAHO information shows that many of the people who wear helmets do not fasten them properly—and many times they do not even buckle them. Therefore, there is little to no protection provided by the helmet in a collision.

7

Information from the PAHO indicates that opening dedicated lanes for bikes and motorcycles cuts the number of traffic accidents involving those vehicles.

8

The UN declared every June 3rd to be World Bicycle Day.

9

According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the use of bicycles as a form of transport rose in almost all countries in Latin America both for short distances and long ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

10

The Global Survey of Bicycle Use by IPSOS in 2022 shows that close to 70% of those surveyed indicated that biking from one place to another in my area is too dangerous. 

10 things you need to know about road safety

Motorcyclists

1

Data from the PAHO show that helmet use lowers the risk and seriousness of injuries by 2%, and reduces the probability of death by 39%, depending on the speed of the motorcycle.

2

The PAHO states that motorcyclists and cyclists are exposed to a greater risk of collisions because they often share transit space with fast-moving cars, buses, and trucks. Also, they are less visible.

3

According to the PAHO, in most countries, motorcyclists represent between 5-18% of the total number of traffic accident fatalities.

4

The PAHO indicates that brain and neck injuries are the primary cause of death, serious injury, and disabilities among motorcyclists and bicyclists.

5

PAHO information shows that motorcycle and bicycle crashes involve two main mechanisms that cause brain injuries: direct contact and speeding up and slowing down. Each mechanism causes varying types of injuries.

6

Motorcyclists that do not wear helmets run a much higher risk of suffering some kind of head trauma or a combination of injuries, according to the PAHO.

7

According to the PAHO, the risk of getting injured or dying as a consequence of transit is much higher for motorcyclists than automobile drivers.

8

The PAHO recommends that for greater protection, motorcyclists should wear proper clothing, for example, a jacket and pants made of specific materials that completely cover the arms and legs, heavy-duty shoes or boots and gloves that enable better grip and protect the hands in the event of a crash.

9

According to the PAHO, full-face helmets for motorcyclists offer greater coverage and head protection, as they protect the face in addition to protecting against impacts.

10

The WHO states that antilock brakes and daytime running lights for motorcycles help reduce accidents.

10 Things you need to know about road safety

CAR DRVERS

1

Data from the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) indicate that almost half (49%) of roadway deaths worldwide are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

2

According to the PAHO, the number of accidents involving pedestrians drops where there are sidewalks and elevated medians.

3

PAHO information shows that a high percentage of collisions with pedestrians and pedestrian fatalities happen when lighting conditions are poor.

4

According to the PAHO, reducing the number of lanes improves road safety, especially as pertains to pedestrians and cyclists because traffic flow is slower.

5

PAHO findings show that the wider a roadway, the greater the risk of pedestrians experiencing an accident as traffic flow is greater and faster, making it more dangerous to cross the road by foot.

6

When the roadway does not have sidewalks, it is 1.5 to 2 times more likely that there will be a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian, according to the PAHO.

7

The PAHO indicates that for pedestrians, the main risk factors for accidents are speeding, alcohol consumption, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, and insufficient visibility of pedestrians.

8

Pedestrians distracted by telephone conversations or other kinds of activities, such as listening to music or texting, take more risks when crossing public roads, according to the PAHO.

9

PAHO information shows that almost all serious injuries occur due to pedestrians being directly hit by a vehicle, not from the pedestrian falling to the roadway.

10

The risk of death for pedestrians that have been directly hit by a car rises quickly with increasing speed. For example, if we go from 31 mph (50 km/h) to 40 mph (65 km/h), the risk goes up by 4.5 times, according to the WHO.

Sources:

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