Getting There - On Foot, By Cycle - Priority 9

A strategy to advance walking and cycling in New Zealand transport

February 2005

Improve road safety for pedestrians and cyclists

Pedestrians and cyclists in road crashes*

• On average, around 55 pedestrians and 13 cyclists die annually in crashes with motor vehicles on New Zealand's public roads. Together, pedestrians and cyclists account for 14% of all road fatalities.
• Around 650 pedestrians and 220 cyclists are hospitalised annually as a result of motor vehicle-related crashes on public roads.
• On urban roads (roads with speed limits of 70 kilometres per hour or less) pedestrians and cyclists make up 35% of road fatalities.
• Crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists most often occur on relatively busy urban roads (collectors and arterials). 

Information provided by the (former) Land Transport Safety Authority for the 1997-2001 period.

Why?
Currently, nearly one in seven road fatalities in New Zealand involves a pedestrian or cyclist. Most fatalities and many serious injuries occur when a pedestrian or cyclist is involved in a crash with a motor vehicle (see box insert).

While there has been a reduction recently in the number of road fatalities and hospitalisations for pedestrians and cyclists, this is not occurring as quickly as for motor vehicle users - particularly given that the use of these modes of transport is decreasing. Nor are gains being made evenly across all groups. For example, children remain at higher risk than many other age groups.

Pedestrians who live in larger urban centres and in lower socio-economic neighbourhoods - where a lot of walking generally occurs - feature highly in injury statistics. Maori and Pacific peoples are overrepresented in these communities and also feature more highly in pedestrian injury statistics.

Addressing the safety needs of pedestrians means considering a diverse range of users. The safety issues that occur when users such as skateboarders and users of wheelchairs and mobility scooters share footpath space with those on foot must be understood and addressed.

Poorly designed and ill maintained infrastructure also poses risks for pedestrians and cyclists. For example, inadequate design or maintenance of footpaths, cycleways and main carriageways can increase their risk of falling. For child cyclists, the cycle itself can also contribute to risk if it is inappropriate for the rider. Limited information is available on non-motor-vehicle-related injuries to pedestrians and cyclists in New Zealand, and road safety strategies to address such injuries have received less focus than strategies to reduce crashes involving motor vehicles.

Priority 7 identifies the impact that safety perceptions can have on people's transport choices. To support increases in walking and cycling, it is important that people's safety perceptions of walking and cycling are improved alongside improvements in actual safety.

Achieving both these objectives is likely to be best achieved by addressing the risks or dangers cyclists and pedestrians may face as they move about their communities - that is, by improving the overall safety of the environment in which they walk or cycle rather than focusing only on reducing the actual numbers of crashes or injuries. This approach will help to improve safety perceptions and avoid achieving reductions in crashes and injuries at the expense of access and mobility - for example, a road appearing 'safe' on a crash-data base simply because pedestrians no longer dare to cross it.

Desired outcome
There will be improved road safety outcomes for pedestrians and cyclists - including for those in high-risk groups and communities. The road environment will be perceived as safe for cyclists and pedestrians.

How?
International and local experience indicates that the following types of action will help to achieve this outcome:

• Road safety programmes to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety incorporate an appropriate mix of engineering, enforcement and education strategies, within a risk or danger-reduction framework.
• High priority is placed on efforts to reduce safety inequities among those who already walk and cycle and those with the fewest transport choices, as well as on building safety into efforts to increase use of the modes.
• A clear picture is established of the scope and basic injury picture (who, where, when and how; circumstances of injury; and key risk factors) associated with infrastructure-related safety issues for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Cycle and pedestrian 'best-practice' guidelines are incorporated into the safety management systems and asset management plans of road controlling authorities.
• Opportunities are provided for effective pedestrian and cycle safety education, appropriate for the range of people using these modes of transport.
• Information, practical advice, instruction and encouragement is provided to motorists on the needs and rights of pedestrians and cyclists in the road environment, and how they can 'share the road' safely with these road users.
• Road safety enforcement policies and strategies effectively address pedestrian and cycle safety issues, particularly in urban areas.
• Potential impacts on pedestrians and cyclists are adequately considered during the setting and review of vehicle standards.

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• Strategy Document (PDF v7.0, 2156kb) 
• Questions and Answers (PDF v7.0, 35kb)  
• Report on Consultation (PDF v7.0, 200kb)