Road Safety

The purpose of the report is to review developments in pedestrian and cyclist safety, particularly over the last ten years, with a view to identifying emerging issues and practice and describing new insights into pedestrian and cyclist safety. Walking and cycling are significant elements in the transport system. Walking in particular is essential to connect destinations with other transport modes. In Australia, pedestrians make up approximately 17% of road fatalities and at least 12% of road-related hospital admissions. Bicyclists make up approximately 2% of road fatalities and at least 5% of road-related hospital admissions. The report identifies significant issues which have yet to be resolved, suggests priorities for future research and development activities, and explores many of the issues confronting walking and cycling. Specific topics discussed are the extent of the pedestrian and cyclist safety problem, crash patterns, the safety of different types of facility, providing for pedestrians and cyclists, patterns of pedestrian and cycle injury (especially in relation to speed), new technologies for pedestrian and cyclist protection, delivering safety to pedestrians and cyclists, and some areas of controversy, ie the net health benefits of cycling, the effect of compulsory seat-belt wearing laws on pedestrian accidents, the effect of compulsory helmet wearing laws on bicycle use, and the safety of cycling on the footpath.