Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrians are a highly diverse group and the most vulnerable road users. The group includes children, older people, teenagers, joggers, the disabled and mobility impaired, and people using wheeled toys or recreational devices such as skateboards, rollerblades and foot scooters.

Pedestrians are most vulnerable in the road environment because of the greater differences in the speed ratios (i.e. Ped v Vehicles). Most other road users are moving significantly faster than pedestrians, and pedestrians have little or no bodily protection in the event of a collision.

Pedestrians are also often difficult to see and their behaviours may be unpredictable. This can make it challenging for other road users to successfully factor pedestrians into the decisions they are constantly making as drivers and riders.

Everyone is a pedestrian at some stage in their journey, so strong and constant consideration must be given to them by other road users.

Gosford City Council and the NSW RTA places a very strong focus on pedestrian safety and implements a wide range of programs (and projects) that deliver pedestrian safety benefits.

These programs include:

• 40 km/h speed limit in high pedestrian activity areas
• 50 km/h urban speed limits
• Safety around schools – 40 km/h school zones and dragons teeth
• Safety cameras at intersections
• Public education campaigns
• Pedestrian fencing
• Shared zones
• Pedestrian bridges
• Shared paths.

In the five years from 2004 to 2008 around one in six people killed on the road was a pedestrian.

This was more than 15 per cent of road fatalities in NSW. Of all crashes in which a pedestrian is killed, nearly a third occur between 10 pm and 6 am. Injuries, particularly in the metropolitan area, peak during the mid-morning (8am to 10 am) and mid afternoon (2pm to 6pm).

Pedestrian fatal crashes are more likely to occur on Fridays and Saturdays, while injuries are more prevalent on weekdays.

Male pedestrians are particularly at risk of being killed and injured in crashes.

_{(Information and statistics courtesy of the NSW RTA)}

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Pedestrians are encouraged to take responsibility for their own safety by;

• using crossings,
• obeying road rules and
• being aware of their surroundings.

Extra caution should be exercised in areas of high vehicle and pedestrian concentration such as near train stations, bus stops and in CBD areas.

Pedestrians are advised to:

• Obey signals at crossings (penalty applies for failure to do so),
• Always cross at a pedestrian crossing if one is available (penalty applies for failure to do so),
• Never assume a driver has seen you or intends to stop,
• Never cross a road while using headphones or mobile phones,
• Always hold the hands of children when crossing the road.

Motorists are advised to obey all speed and road rules and to pay particular care around restricted speed zones, and to be vigilant with pedestrians - increased penalties apply for offences committed in school zones.

Be extra cautious when using mobile phones and portable media players.

Members of the public are advised to exercise caution when using mobile phones and portable media players, as they pose a potential safety risk when they distract pedestrians from their surrounding environment.

Recent growth in the use of portable media players and mobile phone usage has led to a need for greater awareness amongst both pedestrians and motorists to ensure these new technologies don?t lead to a rise in pedestrian accidents.