IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i4p1064-d206959.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Built Environment Features and Pedestrian Accidents: An Italian Retrospective Study

Author

Listed:
  • Tanja Congiu

    (Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Giovanni Sotgiu

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Paolo Castiglia

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Antonio Azara

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Andrea Piana

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Laura Saderi

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Marco Dettori

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

Daily walking is a recommended physical activity. It can be an all-age suitable, environment-friendly transport option. However, traffic crashes are a widely recognized risk factor, associated with drivers’ errors or a combination of several environmental factors, including physical characteristics of the road space. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of built environments on pedestrian safety. Data on road accidents that had occurred between 2005 and 2015, in Alghero, Italy, were retrieved and matched with spatial and functional street qualities. On-street parking was found to increase the risk of pedestrian accidents by about two times, whereas, narrow travel lanes and intersections reduced the incidence of crashes and their public relevance. These field results could inform urban health and spatial planning policies with the final goal of improving health and providing more sustainable models of urban organization.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanja Congiu & Giovanni Sotgiu & Paolo Castiglia & Antonio Azara & Andrea Piana & Laura Saderi & Marco Dettori, 2019. "Built Environment Features and Pedestrian Accidents: An Italian Retrospective Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-14, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:4:p:1064-:d:206959
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/4/1064/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/4/1064/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schneider, R.J., 2018. "“Complete streets” policies and eliminating pedestrian fatalities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 108(4), pages 431-433.
    2. Reid Ewing & Robert Cervero, 2010. "Travel and the Built Environment," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 76(3), pages 265-294.
    3. Pucher, J. & Dijkstra, L., 2003. "Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from The Netherlands and Germany," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1509-1516.
    4. Kadali, B Raghuram & Vedagiri, P., 2015. "Evaluation of pedestrian crosswalk level of service (LOS) in perspective of type of land-use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 113-124.
    5. Eric Dumbaugh & Wenhao Li, 2011. "Designing for the Safety of Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorists in Urban Environments," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(1), pages 69-88.
    6. Siegel, P.Z. & Brackbill, R.M. & Heath, G.W., 1995. "The epidemiology of walking for exercise: Implications for promoting activity among sedentary groups," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(5), pages 706-710.
    7. Retting, R.A. & Ferguson, S.A. & McCartt, A.T., 2003. "A Review of Evidence-Based Traffic Engineering Measures Designed to Reduce Pedestrian-Motor Vehicle Crashes," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1456-1463.
    8. Nasar, Jack L. & Holloman, Christopher & Abdulkarim, Dina, 2015. "Street characteristics to encourage children to walk," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 62-70.
    9. Porter, J.M. & PhD, S.L. & Bryan, S.J. & Arseniadis, K. & Caldwell, L.P. & Corso, P.S. & Lee, J.M. & Davis, M., 2018. "Law accommodating nonmotorized road users and pedestrian fatalities in Florida, 1975 to 2013," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 108(4), pages 525-531.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jin Rui & Frank Othengrafen, 2023. "Examining the Role of Innovative Streets in Enhancing Urban Mobility and Livability for Sustainable Urban Transition: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, March.
    2. Angelo Rampinelli & Juan Felipe Calderón & Carola A. Blazquez & Karen Sauer-Brand & Nicolás Hamann & José Ignacio Nazif-Munoz, 2022. "Investigating the Risk Factors Associated with Injury Severity in Pedestrian Crashes in Santiago, Chile," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-21, September.
    3. Jiping Xing & Qi Zhang & Qixiu Cheng & Zhenshan Zu, 2022. "A Geographical and Temporal Risk Evaluation Method for Red-Light Violations by Pedestrians at Signalized Intersections: Analysis and Results of Suzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Daniela D’Alessandro & Diego Valeri & Letizia Appolloni, 2020. "Reliability of T-WSI to Evaluate Neighborhoods Walkability and Its Changes over Time," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Albina Mościcka & Krzysztof Pokonieczny & Anna Wilbik & Jakub Wabiński, 2019. "Transport Accessibility of Warsaw: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Alireza Mohammadi & Behzad Kiani & Hassan Mahmoudzadeh & Robert Bergquist, 2023. "Pedestrian Road Traffic Accidents in Metropolitan Areas: GIS-Based Prediction Modelling of Cases in Mashhad, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Benedikt Schwab & Christof Beil & Thomas H. Kolbe, 2020. "Spatio-Semantic Road Space Modeling for Vehicle–Pedestrian Simulation to Test Automated Driving Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-25, May.
    8. Ginevra Balletto & Mara Ladu & Alessandra Milesi & Giuseppe Borruso, 2021. "A Methodological Approach on Disused Public Properties in the 15-Minute City Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    9. Andrea Rebecchi & Maddalena Buffoli & Marco Dettori & Letizia Appolloni & Antonio Azara & Paolo Castiglia & Daniela D’Alessandro & Stefano Capolongo, 2019. "Walkable Environments and Healthy Urban Moves: Urban Context Features Assessment Framework Experienced in Milan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, May.
    10. Hiroki Ohnishi & Makoto Fujiu & Yuma Morisaki & Junichi Takayama, 2023. "Fundamental Analysis of the Ages of Children and Road Structures Involved in Traffic Accidents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Shichen Huang & Chunfu Shao & Juan Li & Xiong Yang & Xiaoyu Zhang & Jianpei Qian & Shengyou Wang, 2020. "Feature Extraction and Representation of Urban Road Networks Based on Travel Routes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    12. Dong Ha Kim & Seunghyun Yoo, 2019. "How Does the Built Environment in Compact Metropolitan Cities Affect Health? A Systematic Review of Korean Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-22, August.
    13. Pedro Tavares & Dmitrii Ingi & Luiz Araújo & Paulo Pinho & Pramod Bhusal, 2021. "Reviewing the Role of Outdoor Lighting in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-28, November.
    14. Letizia Appolloni & Alberto Giretti & Maria Vittoria Corazza & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2020. "Walkable Urban Environments: An Ergonomic Approach of Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-31, October.
    15. Ivan Blečić & Tanja Congiu & Giovanna Fancello & Giuseppe Andrea Trunfio, 2020. "Planning and Design Support Tools for Walkability: A Guide for Urban Analysts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, May.
    16. Marco Dettori & Paola Pittaluga & Giulia Busonera & Carmelo Gugliotta & Antonio Azara & Andrea Piana & Antonella Arghittu & Paolo Castiglia, 2020. "Environmental Risks Perception Among Citizens Living Near Industrial Plants: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-19, July.
    17. Maria Hełdak & Sultan Sevinc Kurt Konakoglu & Banu Cicek Kurdoglu & Hande Goksal & Bogdan Przybyła & Jan K. Kazak, 2021. "The Role and Importance of a Footbridge Suspended over a Highway in the Opinion of Its Users—Trabzon (Turkey)," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, March.
    18. Juan Diego Febres & Miguel Ángel Mariscal & Sixto Herrera & Susana García-Herrero, 2021. "Pedestrians’ Injury Severity in Traffic Accidents in Spain: A Pedestrian Actions Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrea Rebecchi & Maddalena Buffoli & Marco Dettori & Letizia Appolloni & Antonio Azara & Paolo Castiglia & Daniela D’Alessandro & Stefano Capolongo, 2019. "Walkable Environments and Healthy Urban Moves: Urban Context Features Assessment Framework Experienced in Milan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Neatt, Kevin & Millward, Hugh & Spinney, Jamie, 2017. "Neighborhood walking densities: A multivariate analysis in Halifax, Canada," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 9-16.
    3. Duncan, Michael, 2019. "Would the replacement of park-and-ride facilities with transit-oriented development reduce vehicle kilometers traveled in an auto-oriented US region?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 293-301.
    4. Millward, Hugh & Spinney, Jamie & Scott, Darren, 2013. "Active-transport walking behavior: destinations, durations, distances," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 101-110.
    5. Xavier Delclòs-Alió & Oriol Marquet & Guillem Vich & Jasper Schipperijn & Kai Zhang & Monika Maciejewska & Carme Miralles-Guasch, 2019. "Temperature and Rain Moderate the Effect of Neighborhood Walkability on Walking Time for Seniors in Barcelona," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Christopher E Anderson & Amanda Zimmerman & Skylar Lewis & John Marmion & Jeanette Gustat, 2019. "Patterns of Cyclist and Pedestrian Street Crossing Behavior and Safety on an Urban Greenway," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Elżbieta Macioszek & Ali Karami & Iman Farzin & Mohammadhossein Abbasi & Amir Reza Mamdoohi & Cristiana Piccioni, 2022. "The Effect of Distance Intervals on Walking Likelihood in Different Trip Purposes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Boeing, Geoff, 2017. "Methods and Measures for Analyzing Complex Street Networks and Urban Form," SocArXiv 93h82, Center for Open Science.
    9. Chia-Yuan Yu, 2015. "Built Environmental Designs in Promoting Pedestrian Safety," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Boeing, Geoff, 2018. "Measuring the Complexity of Urban Form and Design," SocArXiv bxhrz, Center for Open Science.
    11. Braun, Lindsay M. & Rodriguez, Daniel A. & Cole-Hunter, Tom & Ambros, Albert & Donaire-Gonzalez, David & Jerrett, Michael & Mendez, Michelle A. & Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J. & de Nazelle, Audrey, 2016. "Short-term planning and policy interventions to promote cycling in urban centers: Findings from a commute mode choice analysis in Barcelona, Spain," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 164-183.
    12. Yi Zhang & Yuan Li & Qixing Liu & Chaoyang Li, 2014. "The Built Environment and Walking Activity of the Elderly: An Empirical Analysis in the Zhongshan Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-17, February.
    13. Blitz, Andreas & Lanzendorf, Martin, 2020. "Mobility design as a means of promoting non-motorised travel behaviour? A literature review of concepts and findings on design functions," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Ellison, Richard B. & Ellison, Adrian B. & Greaves, Stephen P. & Sampaio, Breno, 2017. "Electronic ticketing systems as a mechanism for travel behaviour change? Evidence from Sydney’s Opal card," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 80-93.
    15. Mehzabin Tuli, Farzana & Mitra, Suman & Crews, Mariah B., 2021. "Factors influencing the usage of shared E-scooters in Chicago," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 164-185.
    16. Alvaro Rodriguez-Valencia & Jose Agustin Vallejo-Borda & German A. Barrero & Hernan Alberto Ortiz-Ramirez, 2022. "Towards an enriched framework of service evaluation for pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure: acknowledging the power of users’ perceptions," Transportation, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 791-814, June.
    17. John Stanley & Janet Stanley, 2023. "Improving Appraisal Methodology for Land Use Transport Measures to Reduce Risk of Social Exclusion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, August.
    18. Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke & Cristhian Figueroa-Martínez & Francisca Parra Huerta & Rodrigo Mora, 2022. "The Disabling City: Older Persons Walking in Central Neighbourhoods of Santiago de Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, September.
    19. Li, Jingjing & Kim, Changjoo & Sang, Sunhee, 2018. "Exploring impacts of land use characteristics in residential neighborhood and activity space on non-work travel behaviors," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 141-147.
    20. Ding, Chuan & Wang, Donggen & Liu, Chao & Zhang, Yi & Yang, Jiawen, 2017. "Exploring the influence of built environment on travel mode choice considering the mediating effects of car ownership and travel distance," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 65-80.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:4:p:1064-:d:206959. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.