PEDSAFE

Book excerpt: This report is the next generation of the Pedestrian Facilities User Guide - Providing Safety and Mobility. It includes an update of 47 engineering countermeasures or treatments, along with education and enforcement programs, that may be implemented to improve pedestrian safety and mobility. Included in this version are 71 case studies that illustrate these concepts applied in practice in a number of communities throughout the United States. The most significant enhancement is the integration of the countermeasures and case studies into an expert system known as PEDSAFE. This system and the content of this guide are included on the enclosed CD and are available on-line at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/pedsafe and at www.walkinginfo.org/pedsafe. The system allows the user to refine their selection of treatments on the basis of site characteristics, such as geometric features and operating conditions, and the type of safety problem or desired behavioral change. The purpose of the system is to provide the most applicable information for identifying safety and mobility needs and improving conditions for pedestrians within the public right-of-way. PEDSAFE is intended primarily for engineers, planners, safety professionals, and decisionmakers, but it may also be used by citizens for identifying problems and recommending solutions for their communities.