Study: Road Design, Speed Key Factors in Pedestrian Deaths

A recent study emphasizes the importance of good road design and low speed limits in keeping pedestrians safe.

1 minute read

October 30, 2023, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Straight black asphalt road through forest with colorful fall foliage.

tristanbnz / Adobe Stock

A new study of traffic deaths in Tennessee found a strong correlation between more pedestrian deaths and more crashes on “straight, multi-lane roads with speed limits over 35 miles per hour,” known as ‘stroads,’ that advocates say “combine the features of neighborhood streets with a car-oriented roads to deadly effect.” Kea Wilson describes the study in Streetsblog USA.

The study’s authors acknowledge that the size of vehicles can also be a factor in how deadly crashes are, “But the more important thing that we should be focusing on — and it's something that urban transportation professionals have a lot more control over — is speed on urban arterials.”

The study notes that Tennessee did not necessarily build more arterials during the time span that pedestrian deaths rose, but study author Christopher Cherry “suspects that a rising number of residents simply have no choice but to walk on the state's most-dangerous roads, particularly as incomes fall and poor residents who can't afford cars are pushed out of walkable downtowns and towards the sprawling fringe.” In other words, the suburbanization of poverty is putting more low-income people in harm’s way. 

For Cherry, road design is a crucial key to improving safety. “We need to design roads where it’s almost impossible to kill someone.”

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 in Streetsblog USA

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.