| Title |
A Study on the Relationship between Pedestrian-Vehicle Collisions and the Physical Environment Surrounding Schools for Safe Routes to School |
| Keywords |
Safe Routes to School ; Pedestrian-Vehicle Collisions ; Geographic Information System |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to explore environmental correlates of pedestrian-vehicle collisions within walkable distance from neighborhood schools in order to promote safe walking environment around schools. For this research, the total number of pedestrian-vehicle collisions occurred around each neighborhood school for 2000 through 2004 is measured as an indicator of the safety level of walking environment around schools. A negative binomial regression model is employed for spatial quantitative analysis. The result of spatial analysis indicates that sidewalk density, traffic signal density, cul-de-sac density, the number of fast-food restaurants, the number of parking lots, and the number of residential units are positively associated with pedestrian-vehicle collisions. However, it is found that the number of play grounds, the percentage of single-family housing areas, the percentage of mixed use areas, and average property value have negative association with pedestrian-vehicle collisions. These key findings of this research contribute to better understanding of the gaps in the current knowledge, for safe routes to school, regarding safe walking environment around neighborhood schools by providing new substantive knowledge regarding the significant effects of the physical environment on pedestrian-vehicle collisions. |