Traffic Safety in Public TransportMadhav PaiSeptember 7th, 2012DirectorEMBARQ India

1.3 million traffic deaths per yearSource: OMS

Road traffic injuries are projected to be the 5th leading cause of death globally by 20302004(actual)2030(projected)Road traffic crashes currently cause more than 1.2 million deaths a year but by 2030 will kill an estimated 2.4 million people per year

The importance of considering road safety in public transport

Road safety on BRT and Busway corridors EMBARQ research

Overview

The importance of considering road safety in public transportPT routes located on main arterials streets with highest crash volumeLocation of crashes in New York CitySource: New York City Pedestrian Safety StudyTechnical Supplement. Viola et al. 2010Location of crashes in Benito Juarez, Mexico CitySource: Diagnostico espacial de los accidentes de transitoEn el Distrito Federal.. Chias Becerril et al. 2008

New York City:

Streets with bus routes have consistently higher crash rates than all other streets. Viola et al. 2010Porto Alegre, Brazil:

Locations with Busway stations have consistently higher crash rates than all other locations. Diogenes and Lindau 2009.The importance of considering road safety in public transportPT routes located on main arterials streets with highest crash volume

Mexico CityGuadalajaraBogotaCuritibaPorto AlegreDelhiAhmedabadVancouverBrisbaneBelo HorizontePereiraCaliEMBARQ Research:BRT, Busways, and Road Safety

A diverse mix of various bus systems

counter-flow buswaycurbside buswaycenter lane BRTCenter lane counter-flow BRTCenter lane buswaymixed traffic bus route How does each of these options rank in terms of road safety? What are the most frequent types of crashes on each type of bus system? How can we make them safer ?

Using the model results:Understanding the safety impact of different bus systems

Preliminary safety comparison, based on Mexico City data:

Center lane BRT safestConventional bus serviceCurbside bus / microbus laneCounter-flow bus / microbus lane most dangerous

Overall safety impact of a BRTCase study: Macrobs, Guadalajara (before)

Overall safety impact of a BRTCase study: Macrobs, Guadalajara (after)

Monthly crashes before and after the implementation of the BRT

Question: What were the impacts beyond the corridor?

Comparison between the bus lanes and the mixed traffic lanes

Main findings: Overall safety impact of a BRTAv. Caracas, TransMilenio

Main findings: Overall safety impact of a BRT / BuswayNot all systems have had a positive impact on safetyCristiano Machado Busway, Belo Horizonte Central Busway Corridor with the highest crash frequency citywideAv. Alcalde Bus Priority Lane, GuadalajaraCurbside bus priority lane Street with highest crash frequency citywide

Delhi Bus Corridor (2008-2012)

Bad design may result in increase in traffic fatalities Bus corridor in New Delhi

Data analysis Citywide crash frequency models Analysis of police crash reports

Road safety inspections

Understanding the factors that influence crash frequencies

The global picture of safety on BRT and BuswaysFatalities by road user type The safest place to be on a bus corridor is inside the bus The most dangerous: walking to the bus station

Safety issues on center-lane systemsPedestrians crossing in mid-blockAv. Caracas, TransMilenioMetrobus Line 2, Mexico City

Safety issues on center-lane systemsPedestrians running to and from stationsAv. Caracas, TransMilenio

Main findingsFactors influencing crash frequencies on bus corridors

Speed

Factors influencing crash frequenciesStreet width and intersection size and complexityMetrobus Line 1, Mexico City Road width and complexity of intersections were the most important predictors of crash frequencies.

Factors influencing crash frequenciesCenter-lane systems tend to be safer that curbside ones

Central median Shorter pedestrian crossings Fewer mixed traffic lanes Some 4-way intersections turned into T junctions

Factors influencing crash frequenciesCounterflowCounterflow lanes were strongly correlated with higher crash frequencies across all our models (p

Main findingsKey recommendations for improving safety on bus systems Street design Traffic calming Narrow streets, simple intersections Short pedestrian crossings

Configuration of the bus system Closed stations Physical segregation between bus lanes and mixed traffic lanes No counterflow

http://www.embarq.org/en/node/4923

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Get involved!

Abundant property development along the road edgeCars are not the dominant motor-vehicleBicycles are not the only NMT mode Very high pedestrian volume Traffic discipline cannot be taken as a givenStreet vendors and immovable obstacles, like utility boxes, trees, temples, etcAuto-rickshaws as the feeder system to BRT

Safety Guidelines for Indian Cities

Starting point www.embarqindia.org*India BRT road safety design guidelines

www.embarqindia.org

U-Turns

Minor Street Intersection

Roundabouts

High Street Activity

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON MASS TRANSIT CORRIDORS*

Indore BRT Reducing Conflict Points123412

METRO CORRIDOR ALONG JP ROADChanging land use pattern. Increasing number of high-rises and retail areasUn-engineered roads with poor pedestrian infrastructure

Elevated Metro Line One Mumbai

Wasted fringe areaUtilities haphazardly placed on footpath or carriagewayElevated Metro Line One Mumbai

Consistent width and continuous length for footpath and carriagewayBuffer area to be utilised for provision of bus-stops, parking, waiting area, rickshaws*2.1 m : Footpath2.5 m : Buffer area6.0 m : Carriageway6.0 m : Carriageway5.7 m : Metro column area2.5 m : Buffer area2.7 m : Footpath10.6 m11.2 mBus StopParking / Waiting areaEBTBBus StopProperty AccessVendorsRecommended DesignElevated Metro Line One Mumbai

*Elevated Metro Line One Mumbai

*Elevated Metro Line One Mumbai

Thank you

Madhav Paimpai@embarqindia.org

Traffic fatalities expected to be 5th largest cause of death by 2030.

*The BRT had no impact on crashes on the area around the corridor. The 3km buffer was selected to include major streets running parallel to the BRT, where we could expect traffic to be diverted.**The main message for this slide is that speed cannot be controlled by posting signs only, but that streets should be designed for their desired speed.****