Pedestrian safety is today a matter for concern in most countries on account of the relatively high level of casualties and the difficulty in identifying worthwhile measures that have the prospect of making substantial improvements in the situation. In 1975 a combined OECD-ECMT group on pedestrian safety research was set up to study research needs in the field of pedestrian safety in relation to the policy orientation defined by the ECMT and other responsible international bodies. The special research group is concentrating on the following priority areas for international co-operative research: (i) technical improvements to the pedestrian's road environment (pedestrian crossings: location, form, signs, signals, and markings, lighting, etc); (ii) road safety education; (iii) information and education campaigns on the theme of pedestrian safety using the mass media. Two other important subjects, namely the influence of alcohol and the question of vehicle design for greater pedestrian safety, were excluded from the work of this group but are receiving attention under other international programmes. (Author/publisher)
Abstract