F2008-08-044
Towards Safer Road for Older Pedestrians in Bangladesh
With the number of vehicles rapidly rising in developing countries, the road safety problem is quickly worsening in low and middle-income countries and is on its way to becoming the third leading cause of death and disability by the year 2020. In low income and middle-income countries, the most vulnerable road users are pedestrians, cyclists and users of motorized two-wheelers. The extent of pedestrian accidents and the resulting deaths are much higher in a developing country like Bangladesh. Pedestrians alone are accounting for up to seventy percent of urban road accident deaths. There is an inevitable evidence from road traffic accident analysis using police reported accident data through Microcomputer Accident Analysis Package (MAAP-five) and extensive on-site field investigation that the pedestrian safety situation has been deteriorating. In Bangladesh about sixteen percent of all pedestrian accidents were associated with the age group 51-75 years during the study period of eight years (1998-2005). The analysis shows almost a steady rate of accidents during the study period. The most prominent types of accident involving elderly pedestrian were- while crossing the road and walking with traffic. Apart from the accident analysis field survey revealed the dearth of facilities for older pedestrians, improper planning and management of the existing facilities and also demonstrated the need for an alternative mobility option for elderly pedestrians. Crash statistics in Bangladesh clearly identify the elderly as a risk group among both driver and pedestrian casualty crashes. Moreover, with expected increase in the proportion and mobility of older people in the years ahead, the problem will get worse without active intervention. To identify the issues of relevance to the safety of older pedestrians and to prioritize the research and countermeasures for future initiatives are important. This paper aims to discuss the characteristics and striking features of pedestrian accidents in Bangladesh and highlight the accident scenario and some characteristic features of elderly pedestrian safety related problems in Bangladesh which is a part of a broader study. Also the ranking of the high risk intersections and the links of Dhaka metropolitan city are represented in this paper to identify the key locations requiring improvement and appropriate facilities to improve the elderly pedestrian casualty crashes. The paper also discusses the alternative mobility options for the elderly pedestrian to improve the deteriorating situation.
Poster presentation: Vehicle safety