Innovative Engineering to Increase Pedestrians and Bicyclists Safety
The simple fact of the matter is that the road systems across the country were built for one thing and one thing only: cars. Taking one look at their design and layout is all you need to confirm that pedestrians and bicyclists factored very little into some of the decisions that were made. Despite this, pedestrians and cyclists use the roads every day to get to and from work or school, to spend an afternoon getting their daily exercise in and more. The Highway Safety Association is looking to close the gap between driver safety and road safety by way of a number of innovative engineering solutions designed to help protect everyone at all times, regardless of whether they're on their brand new bike or are behind the wheel of a three ton vehicle.
The Gathering of Data
If roads were not built with pedestrians and bikers in mind, the Highway Safety Administration is looking to change that. Part of their multi-step plan to help promote road safety involves collecting as much information as possible regarding bike and walking data in areas where a high number of past incidents have been reported. This data will provide an actionable starting point that officials can then use to modify the roads in these areas based on how they are commonly used, instead of trying to redirect the flow of foot traffic in a way that may be counterintuitive to many of the area's residents.
Capturing Opportunities
Another innovative way that officials are using to promote road safety doesn't involve creating new opportunities for improvements, but taking advantage of opportunities that have already presented themselves. During routine resurfacing of streets, for example, many local jurisdictions are taking the time to also built on-road bike networks to help create a safe, separate lane for bikers to use. Not only does the community get the benefit of a better road, but bikers now have their own unique and safe path to enjoy at the same time.
Safe Routes
Another way that innovative engineering is playing a part in keeping the roads safe involves the creation of dedicated "safe routes" to and from certain locations. Many communities are building safe routes to direct the flow of kids walking to and from school away from heavily trafficked areas, for example, both allowing motorists to proceed unencumbered and to help make sure that kids are no longer in danger of becoming victims themselves.
The is another example of a situation in which everybody wins. Kids have a safe path to take on a daily basis and drivers no longer have to worry about how their morning commute will be negatively affected by the constant flow of kids in school zones around the area.
These are just a few of the ways that the Highway Safety Association is turning towards innovative engineering as a way to facilitate a greater level of road safety. Remember that just because you're behind the wheel of a car doesn't mean that everyone else on the road has to bow to your every whim. As someone piloting a vehicle that could easily kill a pedestrian or bike rider, you have an intense level of responsibility to practice safe driving habits to create the best possible environment for everyone at all times.
