Pedestrians

Injuries among pedestrians are a major public health concern in Colombian cities such as Cali. This is one of the first studies in Latin America to apply Bayesian maximum entropy (BME) methods to visualize and produce fine-scale, highly accurate estimates of citywide pedestrian fatalities. The purpose of this study is to determine the BME method that best estimates pedestrian mortality rates and reduces statistical noise. We further utilized BME methods to identify and differentiate spatial patterns and persistent versus transient pedestrian mortality hotspots. Methods: In this multiyear...

In 2012 the US pedestrian fatality rate increased 6%, with 4,743 deaths occurring that year, equivalent to almost 13 fatalities per day and more than one every two hours. Children aged 5-9 years accounted for 22% of pedestrian fatalities (NHTSA, 2012). Studies suggest young children often negotiate dangerous street environments when travelling unsupervised by adults to and from school (Martin, Lee, & Lowry, 2007) so not surprisingly, community-based initiatives like Walking School Bus and Safe Routes to School are flourishing. A major limitation of such programs, however, is they...

With increasing global concerns about obesity and related health effects, tools to predict how urban form affects population physical activity and health are needed. However, such tools have not been well established. This article develops a computer simulation model for forecasting the health effects of urban features that promote walking. The article demonstrates the model using a proposed small-area plan for a neighborhood of 10,400 residents in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the fastest-growing and most sprawling U.S. cities. The simulation model predicts that the plan would...