International Scan on Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety & Mobility: Findings and Implementation Recommendations

A 10-point implementation plan resulting from the five-country International Scan of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Mobility (final report available March 2010) includes doable, cost-effective approaches to more physically active, walkable, bicycle-friendly communities. The scan was sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). The five countries studied were chosen because of their innovative approaches to nonmotorized transportation, as well as the potential transferability of their policies and practices to the United States. Some, like Denmark, had experienced an increase in car use in the 1960s and 1970s, and subsequently reoriented their transportation policy to give priority to bicycling and walking. The scan studied safe routes to school, usage and exposure levels, safety research and evaluation. The report recommends the United States: (1) Encourage transportation policy (national, state, and local levels) that addresses the safety and mobility of walking, biking and other non-motorized modes, such that these modes shall be given highest priority in the road user hierarchy. (2) Institutionalize ongoing traffic safety education starting at an early age including knowledge and skill-based learning. (3) Unify all traffic safety campaigns (including bicycle and pedestrian safety) under a single national brand. (4) Develop and implement programs that encourage and enable regular walking and biking. Additional recommendations concern street design, enforcement, and evaluation. Public health and other professionals seeking more livable approaches to transportation and the built environment can apply these recommendations to transform policies, practices and programs.