For more than 20 years, in France as in many other countries, the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents has tended to decrease. The stakes remain high, however: 1,126 pedestrians killed in France in 1994. and this user category is particularly vulnerable in accidents. To further our knowledge of pedestrian accidents, an analysis of data supplied in reports drawn up by the police forces for road fatal accidents was carried out. Its aim is to highlight the different types of pedestrian accident victims. A typology of pedestrian accidents is proposed based on a multifactor analysis, followed by a classification. This classification clearly identifies four groups : 1) pedestrians age 65 or over crossing the road in a built-up area, 2) children in accidents in built-up areas while running or playing, 3) drunken pedestrians, and 4) intermodal changes, secondary accidents. The resulting typological breakdown should then serve as a basis for in-depth analysis to improve our understanding of these accidents and propose suitable action. With a view to learning more about road accidents, the INRETS "Accidentology" programme provides for the cross-sectional treatment of themes based on data collected at different levels of information. Pedestrian accidents are one of the themes addressed in this cross-sectional approach. The stakes are high : 1,126 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in France in 1994. i.e. 13% of all deaths on the road, children and elderly people being over-represented. (A)
Abstract