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(ARCHIVE) Vol. XX No. 15, November 16-30, 2010
Plight of elderly pedestrians
The most vulnerable road-user
(by Prof. Dr. N.S. Srinivasan)
Chairman, Transport Advisory Forum,Chennai

An elderly woman died on the spot after being knocked down by a bus near Vadapalani. It is a story repeated in every city in India. These accidents show that pedestrians, especially the elderly, are extremely vulnerable. Pedestrians account for about 50 per cent of all persons killed and about 45 per cent of persons injured in road accidents in our cities. The elderly constitute 30 to 40 per cent of those killed or injured in these accidents. Elderly pedestrians walk in extremely unsafe and hostile conditions, are in constant conflict with motorised traffic and, hence, easy victims of accidents in India.

Various studies and observations have been made to assess the behaviour and problems of elderly pedestrians, and these are some of the findings:

1. The current system of road planning is generally designed for vehicles and for young, fit and healthy road-users. It is generally unsympathetic to older and vulnerable road-users.

2. The dominant attitude of drivers, their failure to acknowledge the rights of pedestrians, their lack of courtesy to elderly pedestrians, and the high speeds they drive at in areas of busy pedestrian movements greatly increase the potential for crashes.

3. Pedestrian accidents in which no moving vehicle is involved also occur. More frequently affected are older pedestrians. They are liable to fall while stepping on or off high kerbs, boarding or exiting public transport, and crossing the road in confusing traffic conditions. Falls may also occur due to undulating pavements or by obstructions.

4. Elderly pedestrians avoid using pavements due to their poor conditions or their high kerb or discontinuity due to approaches to properties and are, hence, forced to use the carriageway, thereby exposing themselves to danger.

5. The fatality rate of elderly pedestrians is about 40 times greater than that of adult pedestrians.

6. Over 80 per cent of the pedestrians killed or injured are struck whilst crossing the road.

7. Elderly pedestrians reported several problems associated with cross walks including difficulty in negotiating kerbs and judging the speed of oncoming vehicles, discourteous drivers, turning vehicles, confusing pedestrian signals, and absence of median/refuge islands on wide roads.

8. The growing complexity of the road environment, particularly the heavy volume of traffic, high speeds and inadequate safety measures, places high demands on an old person’s judgement ability, as ageing diminishes the capacity to cope with many traffic situations.

9. Drivers, other road-users and even the authorities do not seem to understand the difficulties faced by elderly pedestrians.

10. In 1991, there were 56.7 million elderly people in the country. The figure increased to 72 million in 2001, accounting for 10 per cent of the senior citizens in the world. It is estimated that their number will increase to 137 million by 2021. Corresponding with the growth in the number of elderly persons, there will be a phenomenal increase in road accidents involving them, unless some remedial action is taken.

Action programme

To make Hawaii’s roads safer for pedestrians, a law was introduced which aimed at every elderly person, woman and child being able to travel freely and safely. A comprehensive programme was worked out in Hawaii and it is being implemented. There is an urgent need to evolve such a programme for our country. The strategy for improvement should include:

1. Provision of adequate and quality sidewalks and crosswalks.

2. Better maintenance of pavements, surroundings and street lighting.

3. Guard rails along pavements (which are becoming alien in our cities) should be introduced in all the pedestrian activity areas.

4. Greater effort should be made to provide a safe traffic environment for older pedestrians, especially in residential streets, neighbourhoods and local shopping areas.

5. Studies have shown that if a car travelling at 30 km speed per hour hits a pedestrian, there would be 20 per cent likelihood of death. It increases to 80 per cent when the speed increases to 50 km per hour. In view of this, it is necessary to fix a speed limit of 30 km per hour in residential streets and places of high pedestrian activity, and 40 km per hour on subarterial roads and collector streets.

6. In London, the Road Traffic Act allows authorities to reduce traffic density levels and their rate of growth in targeted areas so as to reduce congestion and improve air quality besides safety. In high density pedestrian areas, residential areas and environmentally sensitive areas in our cities, efforts should be made to reduce traffic, as is done in London.

7. Keeping in view traffic requirements, safety and convenience of pedestrians, places for zebra crossings should be well planned. As uncontrolled crossings are three times more accident prone when compared to controlled crossings, it is necessary to provide controlled pedestrian crossings.

8. In places carrying heavy pedestrian traffic, it is necessary to provide controlled crossings at every 300 metres, if there is no junction.

9. As elderly pedestrians find it difficult to step down from the high kerb of a pavement to the pedestrian crossing, kerbstones at these locations should be chamfered.

10. On wide roads with traffic in both directions, it is desirable to provide pedestrian refuges, to separate both directions of traffic and serve as a safe place for the old to stand in the middle of the road in case of necessity.

11. Develop safer access for older people at bus stops.

12. Develop alternative mobility options for old pedestrians.

The aims

In many developed countries, which have higher car ownership levels, walking and cycling are given importance by providing, as a matter of policy, special facilities in residential areas and neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, in India, the pedestrian is not considered a traffic unit in planning, traffic control and traffic management. Elderly pedestrians, the most neglected lot in the country, face considerable hurdles while moving on the road. Let us emulate the Netherlands and Hawaii, and improve the traffic environment keeping in view the requirements of elderly pedestrians. Our final aim should be to achieve a ‘Walkable Community’, planned for the people to suit their requirements, emphasising priority of people over cars, and promoting safe, healthy, enjoyable and comfortable walking, cycling and human association.


In this issue

The Three Woes of
the City's heritage
The Most Vulnerable Road-user
The accounts chief –
& the maths genius
The Lilliputians in Madras
At last, a unified transport authority
Other stories

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