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Development of a Systematic Methodology to Enhance the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users in Develo** Countries

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Abstract

Vulnerable road users (VRU) such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists, account for more than half of total road traffic fatalities in develo** countries. In urban India, VRU consist of more than 80% of the fatalities. Although in Indian cities, the share of VRU is considerably high, suitable VRU-friendly facilities are not efficiently planned. In this context, the present paper aims to develop a systematic approach to enhance VRU safety at the urban intersection level in the context of a develo** country. Using 6 years’ crash data (2011–2016) from “Kolkata Police”, India, the applicability of the present research framework is demonstrated. To examine the major risk factors associated with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and non-motorized transport users (NMT: bicycle, cycle-rickshaw, and hand-pull carts), three sets of crash prediction models are developed with the help of Poisson and negative binomial analysis. The study outcome reveals that vehicle volume and speed, inadequate sight distance, and the absence of designated bus stops significantly affect the likelihood of fatal pedestrian crashes. Alternatively, overspending and overtaking behavior by motorcyclists, and restricted sight distance increase the fatality risk of motorcyclists. Speed inconsistency between motorized and non-motorized vehicles, insufficient street lighting, and inadequate sight distance increase the risk of NMT users. The overall study outcomes specify the need for segregation between motorized traffic and VRU at urban intersections by providing dedicated lanes for VRU along with suitable crossing facilities; implementing signalization with a distinct phase for VRU. The study also highlights the importance of speed management measures in urban India.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the opportunity provided by the 6th Conference of the Transportation Research Group of India (CTRG-2021) to present the work that formed the basis of this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, West Bengal, India

    Dipanjan Mukherjee

  2. Global Road Safety Facility, The World Bank, Washington, DC, 20433, USA

    Sudeshna Mitra

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Mukherjee, D., Mitra, S. Development of a Systematic Methodology to Enhance the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users in Develo** Countries. Transp. in Dev. Econ. 8, 28 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40890-022-00165-4

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