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Published: 08 December 2020

Conference contribution on road safety on pedestrian crossings

As the most vulnerable group among road users, the infrastructure for pedestrians must be chosen with special care. Pedestrian crossings offer protection and priority. Do they really? In their contribution to the international conference "Vision Zero for Sustainable Road Safety in the Baltic Sea Region" Julius Uhlmann and Johannes Vogel discussed road safety on pedestrian crossings in 35 countries.

For the third time, the Chair of Transport System Planning participated in the conference "Vision Zero for Sustainable Road Safety in the Baltic Sea Region", the largest road safety conference in the Baltic States, which was organised in Riga and will take place digitally this year. Julius Uhlmann and Johannes Vogel presented in their lecture "The Right-of-way at pedestrian crossings in Europe" a comparison of traffic safety on pedestrian crossings in 35 countries. 

Characterised in various studies as a risk for pedestrians, traffic regulations and design standards for pedestrian crossings differ considerably in a European comparison. In their study, the researchers compared traffic regulations at pedestrian crossings in 35 countries and concluded that in 11 of these countries pedestrians are not given priority, but have to be required to step on the road. There is evidence that the lack of priority is associated with increased numbers of deaths at pedestrian crossings. 

In addition to their presentation, Julius Uhlmann and Johannes Vogel also participated as experts in the final panel of the first day on the topic of "Safe Micro Mobility and Vulnerable Road Users" (see photo).