PEDSAFE: Pedestrian Safety Guidelines and Countermeasure Selection System

Harkey, David L.; Zegeer, Charles V. · 2004 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This document presents PEDSAFE (Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System), a comprehensive resource developed by the Federal Highway Administration to assist engineers, planners, and safety professionals in improving pedestrian safety and mobility. The report serves as an updated successor to the *Pedestrian Facilities User Guide*, addressing the need for practical, actionable tools to retrofit existing communities and create walkable environments. It is motivated by the recognition that pedestrian safety requires more than isolated infrastructure fixes; it demands an integrated approach combining land-use planning, facility design, and behavioral interventions. The core methodology of the report is the integration of technical guidelines into an interactive expert system. The system catalogs 49 specific countermeasures, categorized into engineering treatments (such as sidewalks, curb ramps, traffic calming devices, and signal enhancements), education programs, and enforcement strategies. To support decision-making, the report provides a framework for identifying high-crash locations and typing pedestrian crashes into 12 distinct categories, such as "dart/dash," "turning vehicle," and "walking along roadway." The expert system allows users to select appropriate countermeasures based on specific site characteristics, geometric features, operating conditions, and desired behavioral changes. The content is supplemented by 71 case studies from various U.S. communities, illustrating the practical application of these treatments. Key findings and content include detailed descriptions of engineering interventions, such as roadway narrowing, raised medians, roundabouts, and pedestrian signal timing improvements. The report emphasizes that pedestrian safety is closely linked to land-use patterns, noting that mixed-use developments and sufficient density support walking, while single-use, low-density areas discourage it. It also highlights the importance of accessible design, ensuring facilities are usable by individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly. The case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of specific interventions, such as curb extensions for transit access, speed tables in school zones, and pedestrian countdown signals. The significance of PEDSAFE lies in its ability to translate complex safety data into a user-friendly selection tool for practitioners and citizens. By linking specific crash types and site conditions to proven countermeasures, the system facilitates targeted improvements within the public right-of-way. The report concludes with implementation resources, including funding strategies, construction guidelines, and references to further technical manuals. It underscores that creating a safe pedestrian environment requires assuming people will walk and designing infrastructure that accommodates this behavior, thereby enhancing both safety and community livability.

Key finding

PEDSAFE is an expert system that integrates 47 engineering countermeasures and 71 case studies to help practitioners select treatments based on site characteristics and specific safety problems.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• perceptual countermeasures
• pedestrian behavior perception
• vru facing ehmi