Is the Current Data Standard Really Enough for Improving Pedestrian Safety?

1. Is the Current Data StandardReally Enough for ImprovingPedestrian Safety? Jodi Hackworth, MPH, Epidemiologist Joan Keene, GIS Lead Analyst, Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County

2. Health by Design is a coalition of diverse partners who work to ensure that communities throughout Indiana have neighborhoods, public spaces and transportation infrastructure that promote physical activity and healthy living. • The priority goals of Health by Design are to:             • Increase walking, biking and public transit options • Encourage responsible land use • Improve neighborhood, city and regional connectivity • Reduce automobile dependency

3. Indiana WalksA Pedestrian/Walkability Workgroup • Meets the 2nd Monday of each month, • from 2:30 - 4:30 PM • For more information, contact Kim Irwin at kirwin@hbdin.org • Partners are working to improve walkability and pedestrian safety around the state

4. Support Funding for this program provided by grants from: The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute for an Innovative Traffic Safety Project Federal fiscal year: October 2014 - September 2015 October 2015 - September 2016 October 2016 - September 2017

5. Pedestrian Problem • During 2012, 1750 pedestrians in Indiana were involved in traffic crashes (Indiana Crash Facts) • Hoosier pedestrians are killed at a rate 20 times greater than vehicle drivers • Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services indicated that over 500 pedestrian crashes occurred in Marion County alone during 2012

6. Why Work on Pedestrian Injuries? • Identify areas with a higher than average level of pedestrian crashes for targeted infrastructure improvements. • Target safety messages in high crash areas specific to demographics and crash reasons. Also target messaging for schools, mass transit (bus) riders, community/neighborhood groups, churches, etc. • If resources allow, distribute reflective wrist bands and other pedestrian safety “bling” to targeted groups. • Approach law enforcement to conduct targeted traffic enforcement. • Lower speed limits and eliminate one-way streets.

7. Project Overview • Since 2013, Health by Design has worked with the Marion County Public Health Department and other community partners in data mapping • Crashes were mapped but at that point didn’t have a detailed analysis of other factors such as infrastructure (sidewalks), temporal or seasonal conditions or human behavior • First grant executed in 2015 to identify and designate pedestrian safety zones

8. Methodology • Obtained pedestrian crash data from the Automated Reporting Information Exchange System (ARIES) for five year period • Each crash reviewed in depth to ensure occurred on a public roadway • Took out private driveways, parking lots, interstate crashes and bicycles • Final Data Set for 2010-2014 = 1154 pedestrian crashes for Marion County • Added in 2015 data (386 Pedestrian crashes)

9. Methodology • 1154 crashes mapped and spatial analysis completed using the US Department of Transportation National Highway Safety Administration Zone Guide for Pedestrian Safety • Each crash was mapped off of longitude and latitude • Zones determined based upon density and clustering • For each zone, an efficiency ratio and crash severity was calculated indicating relative risk

10. Methodology • Once the high efficiency zones were identified, temporal, seasonal, weather and lighting factors, pre-crash vehicle action, characteristics of the pedestrians were all analyzed from the ARIES data • Walkability assessments were conducted in the most dangerous pedestrian zones • Repeated the same steps with 2015 data and added in 2 more zones

19. Zone Analysis for 2 Zones

25. Results and Findings for 2010-2015 • The top 10 pedestrian safety zones revealed the following: • The number of crashes each year remained generally consistent • Seven percent of crashes resulted in immediate death; another 11% were incapacitating • Twenty percent of crashes were hit and runs

26. Results/Findings • Crashes occurred most often in clear (66%), dry (76%), daylight (50%) conditions, between 4 – 8 p.m. (30%) or 8 p.m.-Midnight (21%) • September, October, November and December were the most common months for crashes (9%, 9%, 9% and 10%, respectively) • Men accounted for 60% of pedestrians struck; 31-60 year olds accounted for 43% of the pedestrians struck

27. Results/Findings • Information about the race and ethnicity of pedestrians struck was not available • Pedestrians were struck in mid-block crossings in 39.7% of crashes and at intersections in 36.6% (2010-2014) • Pedestrian action was cited as the primary cause of the crash in 50% of incidents; failure to yield was noted in 24% of crashes • In 61% of crashes, the driver was going straight; in 18% of crashes he/she was making a left turn • Neither drivers nor pedestrians were tested for alcohol or drugs 84.2% of the time (2010-2014)

28. Results/Findings of Safety Audits • Safety audits in the top pedestrian safety zones revealed the following: • There were often sidewalks present in these zones, but they were not always continuous, along both sides of the street or a minimum of five feet wide, and they were frequently interrupted by driveways • Curb ramps at intersections or driveways were frequent, but were not always textured, per Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards

29. Results/Findings of Safety Audits • The sidewalks were commonly blocked by poles, signs, shrubs or vehicles and rarely had a buffer between the travel lane • Transit stops were common, but didn’t always have adjacent sidewalks and rarely included shelters or adequate lighting • Pedestrians often needed to walk more than one-half of a block to cross and marked crosswalks were infrequent

30. Results/Findings of Safety Audits • Pedestrian signals, when present, rarely included a countdown timer, and were even less frequently audible • When push-to-walk button were present, they weren’t always accessible or operating • Drivers did not always stop behind crosswalks or before intersections, yield to pedestrians or appear to be obeying speed limits • Features to improve comfort and appeal, such as trees, landscaping, benches, bathrooms, etc., were not often present

31. Next Steps • Detailed analysis of downtown data for 2010-2015 was completed • Add in Indianapolis EMS data to find gaps • Preliminary data from Indianapolis EMS indicated as many as three to four times more pedestrian crashes occur each year compared to what is completed for police reports • Look at Dispatch data for entire city • Indianapolis EMS does not cover entire county • Continue to work in established pedestrian zones • Look at severity of crashes (Fatal and Incapacitating) based on Police data • Add in Trauma Center data

32. Injury Prevention ModelThe Four E’s  Education  Engineering  Enforcement  Encouragement

33. Education • Continue to work with partners in the top pedestrian safety zones to do to targeted safety messaging • Launch a pedestrian safety campaign for Indianapolis

34. Engineering • Work with the City of Indianapolis to implement low cost countermeasures in the top pedestrian safety zones. • These countermeasures included marking crosswalks, signage and lowering speed limits • Use data on the crash analysis to prioritize where Indianapolis spends its limited $$ on higher cost infrastructure investments to improve safety

35. Enforcement • Current grant has money earmarked to do targeted enforcement in the top pedestrian safety zones • Notify public of enforcement program • Ensure enforcement begins with education • Consider use of “street teams” in educating pedestrians – usually low economic, minority, and transit dependent areas

36. Encouragement • Use Walkways as the “vehicle” to create a strong walking culture throughout Indianapolis and to advocate for more walkable places

37. Any questions

38. Contact Information Jodi Hackworth 317-944-5434 jhackworth@iuhealth.org Joan Keene 317-221-2289 jkeene@hhcorp.org

39. Thank You!