Connecticut Pedestrian Safety Guide

Auguste, Marisa E; Jackson, Eric D. · 2019 · ROSA P / Connecticut. Department of Transportation

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Summary

The Connecticut Pedestrian Safety Guide (PSG) addresses the critical need to reduce pedestrian fatalities and injuries in Connecticut, a state with high pedestrian crash rates relative to its population. Motivated by the vulnerability of pedestrians and the limitations of existing crash data, which often lacks detail on behavioral causes, the PSG aims to provide a comprehensive, data-driven framework for traffic safety partners. The guide seeks to support the Connecticut Strategic Highway Safety Plan’s goal of reducing pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries by 15% over five years by identifying specific risk factors and proposing targeted countermeasures. The study methodology combined historical crash data analysis with a year-long observational study. Researchers analyzed 4,467 pedestrian-involved crashes from 2015 to 2017 using four analytical methods, including crash frequency totals and Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) severity weighting, to identify high-risk intersections. Six specific intersections in Hartford, Hamden, New Haven, New Britain, and Waterbury were selected for detailed observation. From October 2017 to September 2018, video footage captured by traffic monitoring cameras was reviewed by data entry specialists to document pedestrian behaviors. The analysis focused on risky behaviors, defined as failing to wait for signals, failing to look for traffic, misusing crosswalks, or engaging in distracted walking (e.g., using electronics). Key findings revealed that 25% of the 38,768 observed pedestrians exhibited risky behavior. Among those exhibiting risky behavior, distraction was present in 31.13% of cases, though it accounted for only 5.24% of the total pedestrian population. The most prevalent risky behaviors were failing to wait for the pedestrian signal (86% of risky pedestrians) and failing to look for oncoming traffic (76%). There was a strong correlation between these behaviors, with 94% of pedestrians who did not look for traffic also failing to wait. New Haven’s Chapel Street and Temple Street intersection recorded the highest percentage of risky behaviors (33.72%), while Hamden had the highest proportion of distraction among risky pedestrians (50.4%). The study also noted that pedestrian-involved crashes, while less than 2% of total crashes, resulted in injury or fatality for over 85% of pedestrians involved, with ages 25–34 being the most frequently killed or seriously injured. The significance of this research lies in its provision of a strategic plan for improving pedestrian safety through education, enforcement, and engineering strategies. By identifying specific behavioral risks and high-crash locations, the PSG enables the Connecticut Department of Transportation and local agencies to allocate resources more effectively. The guide establishes statewide goals and site-specific recommendations, such as targeted countermeasures for the analyzed intersections, to mitigate risk-taking behaviors and enhance the safety of the transportation environment for all road users.

Key finding

25% of observed pedestrians exhibited risky behaviors, with the most prevalent violations being failure to wait for the pedestrian signal and failure to look for oncoming traffic.

Methodology

naturalistic

Sample size: 38768

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• pedestrian behavior perception
• child pedestrian
• rail grade crossings

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence