Experts say they make up for nearly 40 per cent of road fatalities.
Experts say they make up for nearly 40 per cent of road fatalities.
Students from the Rashtriya Vidyalaya College of Engineering recently conducted a study titledu00a0-- 'Pedestrian Walkability Index, Risk Factors and Safety Issues' for the city. This is to find out how to bring down the number of accident, and improving safety for pedestrians.
Smart eye: The intelligent pedestrian detection system will help vehicle
users to see pedestrians and cross safely
According to the study, of the total accidents recorded in the city, 40 per cent are pedestrians. This is because compared with roads, not enough importance is given to footpaths. This leaves the pedestrians with no sufficient space to walk on, because of road widening.
The other reasons for the threat are trees that have been planted on the footpaths, and encroachments. As per Indian Road Congress, footpaths should be 1.5 metres in width, but most of them in the city are way below this benchmark.
Strategic planting
M N Sreehari, a traffic expert said, "While planting trees the government should take help of the Horticulture Department. They should plant particular species of trees whose roots grow deeper. There are few trees such as Gulmohar where the roots grow outside, which is a threat to motorists as well."
Apart from this there is risk for pedestrians while crossing busy city roads. According to records, more people get killed within 40 metres from the intersection, whether the traffic junction is equipped with a traffic signal or not. If the junctions are too busy with heavy traffic flow then the report suggests a skywalk or an underpass.
Security
Due to the increase in pedestrian accidents in the city, traffic experts has come out with laser beam technology and Intelligent Pedestrian Detection, which is helpful during the night.
"I have written to Dr David who is a transport expert and consultant in the US to know the cost of laser beam display at traffic junctions, and also to know whether there are any sponsors for installing at a junction in Bangalore.
The cost to have laser beam on one side of the junction just comes to around Rs 6,000-8,000, which is nothing compared with the Rs 8 lakh they spend for a traffic junction," added Sreehari.
The system will help the vehicle users to see pedestrians and let themu00a0 cross safely. When the signal is red for the vehicles the light automatically switches on, highlighting the pedestrian crossing.
50% of total road fatalities in the city are pedestrians
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1.2 million Number of fatalities on the roads every year in the world
50 million Number of people who get injured in road accidents across the globe every year
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