Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

State Safety Office

Background

Vulnerable Road Users are bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. In the 2006 SHSP, this Emphasis Area Team focused on providing local and state agencies with the data, skills, and tools to identify effective safety countermeasures in the 4 Es (Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Emergency Response); making strategic safety investments and focusing resources where opportunities for safety improvements are greatest for vulnerable road users; and establishing mobility strategies consistent with safety for these users. The challenges presented by vulnerable road users may be similar, but the solutions are often unique to a specific user type.

Between 2006 and 2010, 534 bicyclists died in traffic crashes on Florida roads and highways, and 3,744 were seriously injured. Bicycle fatalities and serious injuries have declined from 928 in 2006 to 800 in 2010. The majority of fatally injured bicyclists were 45-54 years old followed by the 35-44 age group; 90 percent of the fatalities were male. The 10 counties in Florida with the highest number of bicycle fatalities during this time period were: Broward, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Duval, Pinellas, Lee, Pasco, and Alachua. These counties represented 61 percent of bicycle fatalities from 2006 through 2010.

Pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries declined from 2,451 in 2006 to 2,023 in 2010. Male drivers, ages 25-34, were involved in the highest number of pedestrian-related fatalities and serious injuries followed by male drivers 35-44 years.

Strategies

1. Increase awareness and understanding of safety issues related to vulnerable road users.
2. Increase compliance with traffic laws and regulations related to pedestrian and bicycle safety through education and enforcement.
3. Develop and use a systemic approach to identify locations and behaviors prone to pedestrian and bicycle crashes and implement multidisciplinary countermeasures.
4. Encourage adequate funding levels for effective pedestrian and bicycle safety programs and initiatives.
5. Create built environment (urban and rural) to support and encourage safe bicycling and walking.
6. Support national, state, and local legislative initiatives and policies that promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Bicyclists and Pedestrians Team Members

Bicycle and Pedestrian Fact Sheets

NHTSA 2009 Traffic Safety Facts: Pedestrians - (PDF 655 KB)

NHTSA 2009 Traffic Safety Facts: Bicyclists and Other Cyclists - (PDF 594 KB)

“Not in Roadway” Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes - (PDF132 KB)