FHWA: Making Our Roads Safer One Countermeasure at a Time

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ provencountermeasures. PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLES | PROVEN SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES 13. Leading Pedestrian A leading pedestrian interval (LPI) gives pedestrians the opportunity to enter an intersection 3-7 seconds before vehicles are given a green indication. With this head start, pedestrians can better establish their presence in the crosswalk before vehicles have priority to turn lef. LPIs provide the following benefits: Intervals ƒ Increased visibility of crossing pedestrians. ƒ Reduced conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. Source: FHWA ƒ Increased likelihood of motorists yielding to pedestrians. ƒ Enhanced safety for An LPI allows a pedestrian to establish presence in the crosswalk before vehicles are given a green indication. SAFETY BENEFIT: 60% Reduction in pedestrian-vehicle crashes at intersections pedestrians who may be slower to start into the intersection. FHWA’s Handbook for Designing Roadways for the Aging Pedestrians wait for the walk signal. Population recommends the use of the LPI at intersections with high turning-vehicle volumes. Transportation agencies should refer to the Manual on Source: pedbikeimages.org / Burden Uniform Trafic Control Devices for guidance on LPI timing. Costs for implementing LPIs are very low, since only signal timing alteration is required. This makes it an easy and inexpensive countermeasure that can be incorporated into pedestrian safety action plans or policies and can become routine agency practice. Source: Aaron C. Fayish and Frank Gross, “Safety Efectiveness of Leading Pedestrian Intervals Evaluated by a Before–Afer Study with Comparison Groups,” Transportation Research Record 2198 (2010): 15–22. DOI: 10.3141/2198-03 LPIs are beneficial at intersections with high lef-turning volumes. Source: pedbikeimages.org / Burden