Briefing on the Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Problem, Results of the Street Smart Program,

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Briefing on the Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle
Safety Problem, Results of the Street Smart
Program, and a Proposed Request for Local Funding
Commitments

• Briefing to the Safety Work Group
• April 7, 2005

Michael Farrell
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Background

• At its March meeting, the TPB Technical Committee
  received a briefing from COG staff on the goals,
  evaluation, and funding of the Street Smart
  Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program. TPB Tech
  requested additional information on pedestrian
  safety in the Washington region, how pedestrian
  safety can be improved, and a stronger
  justification for the Street Smart program.
• The TPB Tech also suggested that the Police
  Chiefs Committee be briefed on Pedestrian and
  Bicycle Safety

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Scope of the
Problem Nationally and Regionally

• Of 42,643 traffic fatalities in the United States
  in 2003, 4,749 were pedestrians
• Nationally pedestrians account for 11 of motor
  vehicle deaths. Urban areas have higher
  pedestrian fatality rates than rural areas.
• In the Washington, D.C. metro area, over 2600
  pedestrians and bicyclists are injured every
  year, and 89 are killed.
• The Washington-Baltimore region ranks 22nd out of
  the 50 largest metropolitan areas in terms of
  pedestrian deaths per capita.
• Walking is most dangerous in newer, sunbelt
  cities with large retiree populations, and least
  dangerous in older, pedestrian-oriented cities.
  Washington is about in the middle.
• Pedestrians and bicyclists account for nearly a
  quarter of those killed on the roads in the
  Washington region.

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Annual Traffic Fatalities 368
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The Street Smart Campaign

• Launched in October 2002
• Consisted of a one-month wave of radio, Metro and
  outdoor transit advertising.
• Prime target male drivers age 18-34
• Second wave in April, 2004
• Third wave June, 2005
• Expected multi-year campaign to achieve results
• Anti-drunk driving 9 years
• Buckle up 5 years

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October 2002 vs. April 2004

• October, 2002
• Radio (941 spots) 181,250
• TV None
• Print None
• Media Relations None
• Collateral Materials 28,300
• Posters (2,250) 12,700
• Brochures (50,000) 5,000
• Safety Tips Inserts (250,000) 10,000
• Stickers (10,000) 600
• Outdoor Media 90,250
• Busbacks (65)
• Metro Station Poster Cards (12)
• Bus Cards (350)
• Transit shelters (43)
• Total 300,000

• April, 2004
• Radio (680 spots) 114,614
• TV (241 spots) 56,500
• Print (12 insertions) 9,556
• Media Relations 10,000
• Collateral Materials 28,000
• Posters (1,500)
• Brochures (100,000)
• Transit Shelters (41)
• Stickers None
• Outdoor Media 96,064
• Busbacks (150)
• Metro Station Poster Cards None
• Bus Cards (375)
• Transit Shelters (41)
• Total 315,000

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Why Target Most Resources at Male Drivers aged 18
to 34?

• Montgomery County Study shows motorists at fault
  as often as pedestrians and bicyclists
• Even when the pedestrian is at fault, motorist
  often has some ability to avoid the collision
• Male motorists aged 18 to 34 are
  disproportionately involved in collisions of all
  types, including collisions with pedestrians.
• DDOT found that male drivers account for 73 of
  collisions with pedestrians or bicyclists in the
  District of Columbia, and the average age of
  those drivers was 26.7 years.
• Male drivers account for 83 of fatal pedestrian
  or bicycle collisions in the State of Maryland.
• Approximately 60 of pedestrians killed in the
  Washington region are male.
• We can target this demographic cost-effectively,
  through drive-time radio on selected stations.

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At Fault Pedestrian Crash Data Montgomery
County, 2002
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At Fault Data for Pedestrian-Involved Crashes

• DC data show 45 of pedestrians were either not
  in the crosswalk, walked from between parked
  cars, or crossed against a pedestrian signal.
• A 2002 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
  study implicated driver negligence in 40 of
  pedestrian collisions in the Washington-Baltimore
  area.
• The following data on fault was available from
  Maryland jurisdictions

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Alcohol-Involved Pedestrian/Bicycle Fatalities

• 28 of pedestrians killed in Maryland 1999-2003
  were intoxicated.
• Drunk drivers account for about 1/3 of all fatal
  and injury crashes in Maryland.
• Alcohol is a serious safety problem for both
  motorists and pedestrians

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Getting the Message to Pedestrians and Bicyclists

• Pedestrians and bicyclists are more difficult to
  reach than motorists because they do not
  typically carry radios.
• Transit Advertising
• Interior bus cards and transit shelter ads
  reached transit patrons
• High-crash locations were targeted for transit
  shelter ads
• Bus-backs reached motorists and bicyclists
• With a major budget increase, we could
• Run a television campaign costing a minimum of
  92,000 per week to run, plus 30,000-50,000 to
  create. A one-month television campaign would
  cost nearly half a million.
• This is the minimum size television campaign the
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  recomends

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Law Enforcement is Needed to Reinforce the
Campaign Message

• Fear of legal consequences is a motivator that
  can be mentioned in ads
• Used effectively in anti-drunk driving, seatbelt
  campaigns
• Media pays attention to enforcement stings
• Feedback from pedestrian safety staff, the
  consultant, and law enforcement is that there is
  very little pedestrian-related enforcement.
• DC, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County,
  and Fairfax County have done some crosswalk
  stings during the media campaigns.

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Impacts of Street Smart

• Methodolology Pre- and post-campaign telephone
  surveys of randomly selected motorists.
• Results
• Since 2002, there has been a notable improvement
  in reported driver behavior regarding yielding to
  pedestrians in crosswalks.
• Among target male drivers under 35 years of age,
  awareness of police efforts to crackdown on
  drivers who did not yield to pedestrians
  increased 22 points, from 10 to 32 between
  April and May 2004
• Overall awareness of campaign messages increased
  by 8
• No change in beliefs about likelihood of getting
  a ticket for failure to yield to a pedestrian
• No reported improvement in observed pedestrian
  behavior
• Drive-time radio was most effective in reaching
  the target audience

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Conclusions

• The Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Problem
• We have a significant pedestrian and bicycle
  safety problem
• The severity is typical of major urban areas
• It is region-wide, with the urban and inner
  suburban counties having a worse problem than the
  outer counties
• Yourng male driver behavior is a significant part
  of the problem
• Mass Media/Behavioral Modification as a Solution
• Through drive-time radio, Street Smart has
  created awareness of its message in its target
  audience of male drivers aged 18 to 34.
• Pedestrians and cyclists are more costly to reach
  than motorists
• Outlook
• Mass media/behavioral modification campaigns must
  be sustained over years, need support from law
  enforcement, and must be of a minimum scale to
  have any impact.
• The data did not suggest major changes to the
  program as currently budgeted
• Need a formal mechanism to solicit local funding

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Street Smart Funding History
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Funding Status FY 2005
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Proposed Street Smart Funding

• Need formal, written mechanism for the region to
  solicit local contributions for this program.
• At its February meeting, the TPB asked staff to
  prepare a table of suggested contributions
• COG retains 8 of project funds to cover
  administrative expenses
• Local contributions are needed to meet the
  matching requirements for federal money
  distributed through the States
• A commitment is needed now for the Spring, 2006
  campaign
• January in future years
• Five cents per capita is proportional to the
  level at which 2005 sponsors are contributing.
• The following table has been shown to the TPB,
  and the TPB will be asked to send a letter to its
  member jurisdictions recomending that they fund
  the Street Smart program at the suggested level.
  

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