The impact of speed and other variables on pedestrian safety in Maine

The aim of this paper is to analyze pedestrian crashes with an emphasis on how actual travel speeds and characteristics of the locations influence crash numbers. Statewide data from Maine was analyzed. Descriptive crash and behavioral statistics are presented in the paper. Pedestrian and vehicle volumes were gathered for 122 locations in varying environments throughout Maine and crash numbers were predicted and compared to outcomes. Prediction models from Sweden and the UK were used since US models are nonexistant. It was found that high speeds and wide roads lead to more crashes and that the focus of safety improvement should be on arterials and major collectors. A strong relationship was also found between crash severity and speed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.