Background

Orlando was designated the number one most dangerous metro area for pedestrians in the 2011 Dangerous by Design report published by Transportation for America.

Pedestrian Crash Statistics for Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties

• 57% of non-fatal pedestrian crashes occur in the daytime.
• 35% of pedestrian crashes involve a driver who failed to yield when required by law.
• 50% of pedestrian crashes occur on roads with four or more lanes, and 36% occur on multi-lane roads without medians.

Pedestrian Fatality Statistics for Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties

• Approximately 18% of all fatal traffic crashes involve pedestrians.
• On average, about 6% of pedestrian crashes result in fatalities.
• The majority of pedestrian fatalities in the region are adults age 30-65.
• Fatality victims are overwhelmingly male (73% male, 27% female) and white (61% White, 22% Hispanic, 16% Black, 1% Other)
• Only 10% of pedestrian fatalities are hit and run crashes.
• 47% of pedestrians killed are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• Most pedestrian fatalities occur mid-block (not in a crosswalk).
• Lack of lighting is a major contributor to pedestrian fatalities.  Only 20% of pedestrian fatalities occur in the daytime.  The rest occur at night.
• Most pedestrian fatalities – 76% - occur on roads with four or more lanes.

Conclusions from Crash Analysis

Pedestrian safety can be improved by:

• Installing medians or refuge islands (reduces mid-block pedestrian crashes)
• Installing lighting in key corridors (reduces pedestrian crashes)
• Installing additional enhanced crosswalks at unsignalized locations (reduces distance to nearest safest crossing location)

HOW METROPLAN ORLANDO IS IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

• MetroPlan Orlando is bringing together transportation planners, engineers, law enforcement and citizens to create a plan for improving pedestrian safety in Central Florida.
• When complete, the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan will provide:
  1) a list of priorities for funding transportation solutions to reduce pedestrian crashes, and
  2) a comprehensive set of engineering, enforcement and education strategies for local governments to implement.

• MetroPlan Orlando, along with the Winter Park Health Foundation, has given a grant to Bike/Walk Central Florida for a pilot program using enforcement and education to improve motorist and pedestrian behaviors in Winter Park, Maitland, Eatonville, and Orlando. 
  
• Results from the pilot program will be evaluated and, if as effective as expected, will be used as a model for future programs across the region.

A Note on Pedestrian Crossing Laws

Definition of a Crosswalk: Most crosswalks are un-marked.  A crosswalk is defined as the continuation of the lateral lines of the sidewalk across the roadway at an intersection, whether that intersection is signalized or not. The following requirements for drivers and pedestrians are excerpts from law:

Driver Requirements at Signalized Intersections

• Drivers turning right or left on green shall yield right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within crosswalks.
• Drivers facing a red traffic signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk, and shall yield right-of-way to pedestrians before turning right on red.

Driver Requirements at Unsignalized Intersections

• Drivers must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk who is on the half of the road the vehicle is traveling on, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the road as to be in danger.
• Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any intersection with unmarked crosswalks to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.

General Driver Requirements

• Every driver shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person propelling a human-powered vehicle and give warning when necessary and exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused or incapacitated person.

Pedestrian Requirements

• No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
• Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the road.
• Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.