In crossing a two-way carriageway a pedestrian first crosses the path of vehicles that she approaches from their near sides. The proportion of pedestrian accidents involving these vehicles among all accidents to pedestrians crossing the road is here called the nearside proportion. This proportion is greater than half. The nearside proportion on dual carriageways was not found to be different from that on single carriageways. This is surprising, because in crossing a dual carriageway a pedestrian has two similar problems. A suggestion for the result is made. Also, the nearside proportion for children was not found to be different from that for adults. Thus lack of education or experience do not explain it being greater than half. The phenomenon of particular interest to this study is that the nearside proportion is greater in daylight than in streetlight. This result has been found to a high degree of statistical significance in both Edinburgh and Liverpool. The phenomenon occurs at general positions on roads, and in particular on and near pedestrian crossings and at signalled junctions. Three possible explanations are given for the nearside proportion being greater in daylight. To reduce it to the value in street light by reducing the number of nearside accidents in daylight would reduce the total of pedestrian accidents by about 15%. One explanation leads to this possibility. The remedy would lie in colouring cars to make them more conspicuous. (A)
Abstract