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Cooperative Agreement for Pedestrian Enforcement Programs Pro Bike/Pro Walk Conference Madison, Wisconsin September 6, 2006. Sergeant David A. Black University of Massachusetts
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Cooperative Agreement for Pedestrian Enforcement ProgramsPro Bike/Pro Walk ConferenceMadison, WisconsinSeptember 6, 2006 Sergeant David A. Black University of Massachusetts Police Department dblack@admin.umass.edu http://www.umass.edu/umpd (413) 545-2121
Project Management • University of Massachusetts Police Department • The University of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program (UMassSAFE) • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The University of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program(UMassSAFE) is a multidisciplinary traffic safety research programhoused in the University of Massachusetts Transportation Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. • At UMassSAFE, we seek to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes through the rigorous examination of safety-related data – both traditional and nontraditional - to better understand crashes, driverbehavior, and related factors.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration • Our mission: Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes
University of Massachusetts Pedestrian Problem • One pedestrian injury every four months of academic year • 2 recent fatal • 2 recent near fatal • Many “near misses”
University of Massachusetts Demonstration Project Plan 4 E’s of Pedestrian Safety • Education, • Enforcement, • Engineering and • Evaluation
University of Massachusetts Police Department Focus Area • Education (10/05) and Enforcement (11/05) Decoy Program • Judicial Review Meet with Clerk Magistrates and Judges for input on violation • Creation of Training model for Colleges and Universities
OT funding for Education and Enforcement Patrol Equipment Printing: Flyers, Posters and Bus Cards UMPD Funding
MassSAFE Focus Areas • Data Collection/Analysis • Engineering Improvements • Evaluation Approaches • Roadway Inventory • Crash Data • Citation Data • Observations • Impaired Pedestrian Observations
Massachusetts Pedestrian Fatalities and Serious Injuries, 2004 • 82 pedestrian fatalities • 17% of MA traffic fatalities • 268 non fatal incapacitating injuries
Program Goals • Increase citations for motorist violations of crosswalk laws by 15% (Goal met) • Increase motorists and pedestrians complying with laws by 15% (Goal met) • Implement policy for violators of pedestrian crosswalk violations (Not yet)
University of Massachusetts The Amherst campus: • has a residential population of 13,000 students • A total of over 24,000 students • A daytime high of over 30,000 people
UMass Amherst Population • High use of walking/bicycling/skate-boards as transportation means • Concentrated population with high alcohol use • Well-suited for addressing pedestrian safety
Walking campus High pedestrian/ vehicle interaction 14,000 vehicles registered to park Visitors to large audience venues Parking on perimeter, buildings in center University of Massachusetts Pedestrian Problem
Recent Pedestrian Issues • Fall 2005: Education and Enforcement Period • Spring 2006 • 6 pedestrian/vehicular accidents on campus in 3 month period • A total of 11 pedestrians injured
M.G.L. Chapter 89 Section 11 Motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian in the roadway $200 fine MGL Chapter 75 Section 32A UMass Article 4 Section 24 Motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk $35 fine Motorist Violations
Pedestrian Violation MGL Chapter 90 Section 18A Pedestrians, use of ways; rules and regulations; violations; notice • 1st, 2nd and 3rd violations-$1.00 • 4th and subsequent violations-$2.00 UMass Article and Section • Not applicable
Achieving Program Goals • Program will highlight: • Need for data • Multi-disciplinary approach • Introduce enforcement concepts outlined in “Law Enforcement Pedestrian Safety”
Program Results • The initial results are encouraging with increases in the percentage of yielding vehicles at both experimental locations for both the before-during and before-after comparisons. • By comparison, the control locations had mixed results with an overall decrease in the percentage of yielding vehicles. • Full evaluation is still underway.