There are many approaches that agencies and organizations can take to analyze pedestrian and bicycle safety and identify and address safety needs. For example, some cities and states have initiated pedestrian or bicyclist safety audits, an unbiased evaluation of the walking and biking environment, which can be performed before, during, or after the construction of a project. Surveys of road user safety and perception of risks are another common tool, often used in broader public engagement and planning processes. The Highway Safety Manual provides an established process for transportation agencies to consider safety improvements. The Manual is complemented by the Crash Modification Factor Clearinghouse, an online resource updated with the latest research on the effectiveness of countermeasures. There are many other resources available that can complement or enhance safety evaluations. 

NCHRP Research Report 893: Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis provides guidance on how communities can proactively identify sites for potential safety improvements using a systemic approach, as opposed to a "hot spot" approach. This systemic approach can identify safety solutions as sites across a network before crashes occur. 

Often, more robust safety analyses require more or better data, so tools such as Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT), FHWA's Guide for Scalable Risk Assessment Methods for Pedestrians and Bicyclists, or NCHRP Report 797: Guidebook on Pedestrian and Bicycle Volume Data Collection can be used to enhance data quality. For more information on volume data see Counting and Estimating Volumes. See also the National Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Data Clearinghouse for data availability.

Resources

Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Provides a step-by-step method for selecting crossing treatments.

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Intersection Safety Indices
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Provides practitioners with instructions for applying the Ped/Bike ISI to their local intersections.

Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy Tool
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Introduces a tool to prioritize roadway design strategies that align with the Safe System Approach.

Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Updates standardized crash data criteria to improve safety data collection for non-motorists.

PEDBIKESAFE
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Describes the process for selecting and implementing countermeasures and each includes an interactive selection tool and case studies.

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Examples

Integrating the Safe System Approach into California’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Offers a case study of the Safe System Approach in California’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

Don't Cut Corners: Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crash Study
New York City DOT
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) developed the Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Study to advance New York City’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Risk Factors for Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes
Oregon Department of Transportation
Covers a tool to improve methods to identify and prioritize locations with increased or elevated risk for pedestrian and bicycle crashes.

City of Seattle Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Analysis
Seattle Department of Transportation
Identifies locations to prioritize safety improvements with the goal of preventing future crashes.

AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit
AARP
Includes instructions and checklists for examining intersections, sidewalks, driver behavior, public safety, and more.

More Examples >