Investigation on the Causes of Pedestrian Accidents at Roadside Walkways and its Possible Interventions, Case Study in Jimma Town.

Abstract

One of the most important forms of transport is by walking and contributing to safe and comfortable environment. Eventually increase in vehicular traffic for faster connectivity has led to the widening of roads and subsequently degradation of walking environment. Urban sidewalks are the spaces provided for the pedestrians and their varied activities but are undervalued in terms of pedestrians' needs such as comfort, mobility, safety and convenience. The aim of this study is to investigate on the cause of pedestrian accidents at roadside walkway and possible interventions in Jimma town road, In Jimma town sufficient and comfortable pedestrian walkways are not constructed for the pedestrians who account the major trip percentage in the city and miss-use of the existing facilities, Based on the results of the analysis to set conclusions and recommendations for possible future considerations during roadside walkway design in the town. Different researchers and writers use various types of approaches for identification of causes of pedestrian accident. The literature review part covers mechanisms used by some of the scholars and organization to identify causes and analyze their impact. The result of the study revealed that, 104 pedestrian Accidents have occurred in the town in the study period from 2013 to 2015 and also the analysis result show that out of four selected routes which were included in this study area only one route meet the standard; the other three routes not satisfy the standard roadside walkway from those routes two of them have no walkway. The main reasons rose from respondents and document review results those taken from filed measurement, Jimma town administration and Jimma town police office recorded accident data and jimma town structural master plan comparing the existing condition of the walkways. It was concluded that, the frequency of occurrence of pedestrian accidents and number of casualties is escalating from time to time and the most roadside walkway are not fit to the standard so that the town administration must redesign according to the international standard roadside walk way, provide buffers, upgrade the existing walkways and construct standard roadside walkway the place where there is no walkway at all.