The dangers of SUVs & trucks are real
A recent study shows how dangerous SUVs & trucks are, Bird scoots in to Bradenton as Lime tries again in Tampa, and a new pedestrian warning system is being studied by UF
New study shows pedestrians and micromobility users are at higher risk of death or serious injury in crashes with SUVs &trucks
It seems like common sense that the larger vehicles we are seeing more of on the roads are more likely to cause severe injuries, but again and again there are those who deny it and claim there is no evidence to support it. A recent study in the Journal of Safety Research provided some data to support the common sense.
Looking at Illinois crash and hospital records from 2016 through 2018, the study found that larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks are involved in crashes with pedestrians and cyclists with more severe injuries that result in higher hospital charges. For example, pickup trucks were the striking vehicle in just 5.6% of the pedestrian/cyclist crashes but were involved in 12.6% of the fatalities. SUVs, meanwhile, were involved in 14.7% of the crashes but overrepresented at 25.4% of the fatalities. Passenger cars, which make up 62% of the crashes, were underrepresented at 38.4% of the fatalities. A pedestrian/cyclist stood a much greater chance of surviving a crash with a car than with a SUV or or pickup truck.
The study also looked at how the age of the pedestrian/cyclist factored into the severity of injuries.
A child (under age 18) struck by a SUV was eight times more likely to be killed than a child struck by a passenger car. An adult (aged 18–64) struck by a pickup truck was four times more likely to be killed than an adult struck by a passenger car. And a senior (aged 65 and over) struck by a pickup truck was nearly three times more likely to be killed compared to a senior struck by a passenger car.
Media attention to the growing dangers posed by SUVs has been intensifying in the last few years as sales of the vehicle have been increasing, but not as much as in Florida.
The study found that SUVs were particularly deadly for children.
SUVs were the striking vehicle in greater than 40% of childhood fatalities, even though SUVs were involved in just 16.9% of childhood cases. Further, children represented 21% of all pedestrian and pedalcyclist crash victims but 26.1% of cases involving SUVs – implying SUVs were not only more deadly, but also disproportionately struck children. Vans/minivans are also overrepresented in cases involving child-hood fatalities. Just under 6% of child pedestrians and pedalcyclists were struck by a van/minivan, but 12.5% of childhood fatalities involved a van/minivan. Together, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans/minivans combined to cause two-thirds of fatalities involving child pedestrians and pedalcyclists
Larger vehicles were also more likely to cause more severe injuries than passenger cars.
Pedestrians and pedalcyclists struck by a large motor vehicle were more likely to suffer moderate or worse injuries to their thorax compared to those struck by a passenger car. Though the proportion of pickup trucks involved in all cases examined here was 5.6%, that proportion nearly doubles to 11.1% of all non-minor thorax injuries. Further, nearly 10% of all occurrences of a pickup truck striking a pedestrian or pedalcyclists resulted in a non-minor thorax injury. For passenger cars, only 3.8% of occurrences resulted in such injuries. Finally, though passenger cars represent54.1% of all cases here, they are underrepresented as causing non-minor thorax injuries at 42.1% of all such injuries.
The study also looked how race and ethnicity played a part in crashes.
Blacks were overrepresented as victims of pedestrian and pedalcyclist crashes throughout Illinois. Outside of the City of Chicago 23% (945) of pedestrian and pedalcyclist crash victims were Black, despite Blacks making up only about 10% of the population of Illinois outside of Chicago (ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates) U.S. Census Bureau (2019). Within Chicago 31% (1,154) of pedestrian and pedalcycle crash victims were Black, where 29.6% of the population is Black. Statewide (all of Illinois and Chicago), 27% (2,099) of victims were Black despite representing just 14.2% of the population.
The study found that the Hispanic/Latino population was underrepresented as victims based on the population, and the authors noted that potential communication difficulties between first responders and the crash victim could be at please, as well as ID and personal information issues.
The study confirmed what many of us already believed, if only anecdotally, to be true. Larger vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs are killing or seriously injuring pedestrians and cyclists at much higher rates as more are being built and driven on our roads.
Another county, another High Viz Enforcement Program but what are the results
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced that it join in with other law enforcement offices in the Florida Department of Transportation’s High Visibility Enforcement Program until May 2023. According to Sheriff Chad Chronister:
These operations aren’t about issuing citations. We want to take these opportunities to raise awareness and educate drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists on the importance of road safety. Together we can make our roadways a safe place for all.
As previously mentioned, this is a part of a larger project that FDOT has been running along with the University of North Florida’s Institute of Police Technology and Management. The common line from law enforcement is that they will only issue warnings and citations when appropriate, and will look for:
…drivers speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, conducting improper turns or signal violations, and using hand-held devices while driving. Deputies also will watch for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to motorists who have the right-of-way. Bicyclists will be stopped for riding against traffic, riding at night without lights or not abiding by the same laws as motor vehicles.
Enforcement of existing laws is great, but the fear in these situations is that officers and deputies will focus on easier, slower targets like pedestrians and micromobility riders as opposed to drivers who are the much more dangerous road user. I will be following up on this topic.
Fed money for Florida projects
The US Department of Transportation has given the Florida Department of Transportation two grants totaling $37 milling for “enhancing safety and supporting innovative transportation solutions.”
With $25 million going towards safety features involving Brightline Trains, the remaining $12 million will be going to the Smart St. Augustine Project. According to FDOT:
This project will provide parking and traveler information systems; ‘Smart’ technologies, including smart traffic signals to reduce delay, sensors to detect street flooding, audible crosswalk signals for the deaf, among others; and mobility hubs with information kiosks for parking, bicycles, and electric vehicle charging.
Pedestrian-Warning System piloted by UF and FDOT
Utilizing an advantage that college campuses have as opposed to other downtown areas, the University of Florida will be installing pedestrian warning sensors that will provide alerts to drivers and to pedestrians and bicyclists on their smartphones. This connected vehicle infrastructure program is part of a yearlong research study led by Lily Elefteriadou, Ph.D., the Director of the UF Transportation Institute.
As reported by Traffic Technology Today, the project will evaluate how road users will use the alerts they receive from the road sensors, whether it be on their smartphone or on the dashboard. The sensors will be place at regular intersections as well as mid-block crossings where there are no traffic signals.
As Pruthvi Manjunatha, one of the project leaders, said,
Even if we have the tech, it’s the way we deliver the message that makes all the difference. If we can find the optimum mode of message delivery, that’s going to be a game changer. Whoever the road user is, ideally these alerts should help them make better decisions.
Lime is trying to squeeze back into Tampa
In June the city of Tampa decided to move on from Lime and Bird e-scooters as part of its shared micromobility plan, instead turning to Helbiz and Spin. But Lime isn’t finished with the Cigar City, as it’s looking to introduce it’s e-bikes to the city. As covered by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Lime is looking to allow it’s Gen4 e-bikes (which come with swappable batters) to the areas of Ybor City, Channel district, and the University of Tampa.
Though Lime and Bird were left out of the stand-up scooter game, Tampa Mobility Director Vik Bhide confirmed with the Business Journal that the program will operate more than just e-scooters.
Fort Myers Beach hoping painted bike lanes will increase safety
As the temperature eases down in Florida, we all know that the numbers of tourists and snowbirds visiting our state will be easing upwards. Hoping to address the safety issues on their roads, the Fort Myers Beach Town Council has reached out to Lee County for help with its Estero Boulevard.
New green bike lane markings have been painted on the road between Connecticut Street and Andre Mar Drive.
The county hopes the lane painting will help avoid bike-car crashes and will look into expanding the project.
This move is window dressing, at best, even as there is a growing nationwide calling for separated and protected bike lanes. Paint won’t stop a speeding or distracted driver.
Micromobility is taking off in Bradenton
The city of Bradenton has entered the shared micromobility chat with Bird e-scooters. As the Bradenton Herald reports, there are now 200 e-scooters in downtown Bradenton, with plans to include e-bikes.
As Mayor Gene Brown told the Herald:
The goal is to get more people in transportation that are not getting on our road system. We can’t change a road system the way it is, but we can make little changes each time.
Under the city program, healthcare workers can ride for free twice a day for 30 minutes and the e-scooters will be limited along the Riverwalk area in a geofence. Also, riders will be able to unlock the scooters by only needing to send a text, allowing those without smartphones to ride.