Driver compliance and pedestrian safety at zebra crossings in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

Vehicle-pedestrian interactions predispose pedestrians to road traffic crashes because of the importance of pedestrian trips for geographical mobility and spatial interaction which may be effectively reduced by zebra crossings. This study guided by the Safe System Approach assessed drivers’ compliance and pedestrian safety at zebra crossings in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The study investigation data were from observational checklists and pedestrian crash data from the Building and Road Research Institute. Findings showed that 336 pedestrian crashes were recorded between 2007 and 2016 with 35.4% and 15.2% of the victims being hospitalized or dead respectively. More than 70% of the pedestrian crashes occurred at places, not a junction. The findings further showed that there were 23 zebra crossings in the metropolis with low drivers’ compliance rate. The relevant stakeholders such as the Department of Urban Roads of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, National Road Safety Commission, officials of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service should identify short- and long-term measures to improve pedestrian safety and driver compliance at zebra crossings in the metropolis.

Keywords

• pedestrians
• drivers
• urban road
• zebra crossing
• ghana