The Influence of Traffic Islands on Pedestrian Safety

Traffic islands were introduced for drivers and pedestrians to use the road in a safe and orderly way and were also a specified zone between traffic lanes to divide conflicting traffic flows and to provide pedestrian refuge. However, existing research and relevant standards described its purpose and effects only but not a safety standard to decide whether the traffic island warranted. This study was to introduce a parameter which had a high relationship with accidents by analyzing road and traffic conditions and traffic accident data at urban intersections. Based on the relationship between the parameter and the traffic accidents at the intersection, a pedestrian accident probability model was made by using a logit model. In addition, the study reviewed a pedestrian accident probability corresponding to traffic volume and size of the intersection during design of the intersection and then suggested the effectiveness of the traffic island in terms of traffic safety. In conclusion, when a large-scale intersection has significant traffic volumes, a high probability of traffic island-induced pedestrian accidents appears, while in the case of small volumes, the probability is low. Targeted design and operations of a traffic islands is necessary, because its introduction itself does not enhance pedestrian safety in all cases at all intersections. This study can be a useful reference for further development to set up a scheme of the traffic islands in terms of traffic safety.