The urgent need for traffic calming

measures for pedestrians in India

se Svensson
PhD Traffic Engineering

Traffic safety is a problem for the society

Each year about 1.3 million people die in road crashes and
an additional 20 and 50 million sustain injuries
Today road crashes is the 5th leading cause of death. By
2020 3rd place!
Traffic safety improves in high-income countries while it
continuously becomes worse in other parts of the world
(WHO, 2009)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Trends in high income-countries

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

India

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Pedestrians are at stake

50% of all road traffic fatalities in the world are among
vulnerable road users
Higher percentage in low-middle-income countries
While in high income countries car travellers are at stake
Vehicle speed is the key risk factor for injuries among
pedestrians and cyclists (WHO, 2009)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

The project
Partners: CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research &
Training (CUTS CART) and Lund University, Transport and
Roads, Sweden
Consultant partner: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Delhi
Finance: Swedish International Development Cooperation
Agency (SIDA)
Studies in the city of Jaipur, India

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Aim
Aim of the project to identify feasible traffic calming
measures for pedestrians in Jaipur and to more generally
get across an understanding for the urgent need of these in
India

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Method

Extensive studies in 7 of our studied 24 intersections

Traffic flow measurements
Studies of crossing and interaction behaviour
Conflict studies
Speed measurements

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Results behaviour & intersection design

Unorganized and non-channelized
crossing behaviour
Vehicle drivers neglect crossing
pedestrians
Intersection area too spacious
- difficult to get an overview
- pedestrian crossings outside the
intersection
- due to poor accessibility
pedestrians cross in the middle of
the intersection most conflicts occur
here as well
Barriers in form of high medians with
bushes pedestrians have to climb
No waiting areas for bus passengers

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Results speeds for vehicles approaching

the intersection

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Vehicle speed a key-factor for safety

Strong relationship between vehicle speed and safety:
1) relationship between speed and the occurrence of
accidents i.e. higher speed means less time margins to
avoid a collision
2) IF there is a collision then there is a relationship between
speed, collision speed and injury severity

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The power model

Example:
Reduction of mean
speed from 60 km/h
(37mph) to 55 km/h (34
mph) i.e. by 8%
reduces fatal accidents
by 25-35%.

Source: Nilsson, 2004

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Probability of pedestrian fatality for different

age groups at different collision speeds

Source: Davis (2001)

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Speeds will have to be reduced but how?

According to traffic safety research humps and raised
pedestrian crossings would be feasible and low cost
measures to reduce vehicle speeds and thereby
reduce pedestrian injury accidents

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Proposed Standardised Traffic Calmed

intersections
Low costs
Humps entrances
Raised pedestrian crossings
at exits
Raised footpaths at corners
Medians (with passage) and
pedestrian crossings are
moved closer to the
intersection

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

The Watts hump is circular-shaped and

reduces speed to appr. 30km/h

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Raised pedestrian crossing with similar

effect as the hump

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Effects on accidents of speed-reducing devices

according to meta-analysis by Elvik (2009).
At humps injury accidents are reduced by 41% (-57;-34)
Raised pedestrian crossings vs ordinary pedestrian
crossing reduce pedestrian injury accidents by 42%
(-70;+11)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Would these measures work in Jaipur?

As decisions regarding implementations were not made in
time expected behaviour had to be estimated by
comparing similar types of humps in Jaipur and in Sweden
AND the speed reducing behaviours were very similar
Indications that humps in India preferably could be shorter
than in Sweden but the correct height to length relation will
of course have to be tested out.
At humps in Jaipur, MC speeds were on average 4 km/h
(2,5mph) higher than car speeds.
Speed breakers too efficient

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Conclusions
Speed as the key factor for pedestrian safety is universal
The correct measures have to be adapted to the prevailing
traffic conditions
The proposed measures slow down traffic both when entering
and exiting the intersections
Improve safety and accessibility by locating pedestrian
crossings so they become attractive to use for pedestrians
All-in-all A large scale implementation of the Proposed
Standardised Traffic Calmed Intersections has the
requirements of improving safety, accessibility and quality of
life for all pedestrians

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

References

Anderson R.W.G., McLean A.J., Farmer M.J.B., Lee B.H., Brooks C.G.; Vehicle travel speeds and incidence of
fatal pedestrian crashes. AA&P, Vol 29, No 5, pp 667-674, 1997.
Davis, G. (2001) Relating severity of pedestrian injury to impact speed in vehicle-pedestrian crashes,
Transportation Research Records: Journal of the Transportation research Board, Volume 1773 / 2001, pp. 108113
Elvik, R., Christensen, P., Amundsen, A. (2004) Speed and road accidents An evaluation of the Power
Model, TI report 740/2004, Oslo
Elvik, R., Erke, A., Srensen and Vaa, T. (2009) Handbook of Road Safety Measures, TI, Oslo
Gudjonsson, H. (2011) Samband mellan skadeutfall hos pkrda oskyddade trafikanter och hastighetsniv p
olycksplatsen. Presentation p Transportforum, Linkping, 2011-01-12.
Hydn, C. (1987). The development of a method for traffic safety evaluation: the Swedish traffic conflict
technique, Bulletin 70, Department of Traffic Planning and Engineering, Lund University, Lund
Hydn, C., Svensson, . (2009) Traffic Calming in India Report on the theory of Traffic Calming and
empirical trials in the city of Jaipur, Bulletin 252, Lund Institute of Technology, Department of Technology and
Society, Traffic and Roads, Lund
Nilsson, G. (2004) Traffic safety dimensions and the Power Model to describe the effect of speed on safety,
Bulletin 221, Lund Institute of Technology, Department of Technology and Society, Traffic Engineering, Lund
WHO (2009) Global status report on road safety: time for action. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2009
(www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2009).

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Thank you!
se Svensson
Ase.Svensson@tft.lth.se
www.tft.lth.se

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Effects on accidents of speed-reducing devices

according to metaanalysis by Elvik (2009).

Source: Elvik et al. (2009)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Effects on accidents of traffic control

measures for pedestrians

Source: Elvik et al. (2009)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson

Pedestrian injury in relation to pedestrian

age and mean speed at the site

Source: Gudjonsson (2011)

Lund University / LTH / Transport and Roads / se Svensson