[sustran] Oregon: Enforcement Cuts X-walk Crashes

[Kisan Mehta]

Dear Colleagues,

See the innovation used for ensuring psafety to pedestrians.  In Mumbai
(population 12 million Census of India 2001) on the other hand ten persons 
die on roads and twenty on railway tracks a day.   The World Bank 
bemoaning extremely high road accident rate in Mumbai confirms that 
pedestrians form 95% of road accident victims. 

Yet the very same Worlod Bank has given liberal loan to Mumbai 
transport authorities for eliminating pedestrians from public roads. 
Pavements are cut off or drastically narrowed down.  Vehicle 
parking on rump pavements is freely allowed and encouraged. 
Eight lane highways in the crowded areas are being constructed.  
Miles and miles of dividers and fencing are constructed to stop
pedestrian crossing.   Public bus servioces are being curtailed  
and suburban railway commuter services superficially supported. 
 
The Bank is now considering another loan for an  ambitious programme 
for constructing elevated roads over narrow arterial roads having extremely 
high pedestrian movment are being proposed.    Motor car owners, direct 
beneficiaries of Bank largesse and public programmes, are bot required 
to pay anything hence the burden goes on the poor. The Bank programme 
for reducing poverty as well as for reducing population!!!   Best wishes.

Kisan Mehta  
----- Original Message ----- 


OREGON: ENFORCEMENT CUTS X-WALK CRASHES

According to a recent note, "Oregon cities have been able to 
reduce pedestrian crashes by rigorously enforcing pedestrian 
laws and fining drivers for not stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks. Under the Pedestrian Safety Operations (PSE) 
program, a decoy police officer attempts to cross in a 
crosswalk. A video camera records each incident of drivers 
not yielding and either a warning or citation is issued. 
In the first three years of the program, there was a 16% 
decrease in pedestrian injuries (from 348 to 293) and a 19% reduction in pedestrian fatalities (from 16 to 13), 
related to crosswalks."

For more information, contact Rick Waring, ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program, (503) 986-4196, e-mail: rick.a.waring at odot.state.or.us.
     
           
     
     
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