Perspectives
Richard Blomberg and Dr. Timothy Wright with Host Jason Jefferies on the low-cost pedestrian safety zone Study
By Richard Blomberg, Dr. Timothy Wright & Jason Jefferies
Richard Blomberg, MS
Jason Jefferies, MA
Timothy Wright, PhD
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This report presents three case studies documenting the processes and outcomes in three cities that implemented a low-cost pedestrian safety zone approach, and it describes the background leading to the initiation of the demonstration study, the approach taken by the study, and the three case study reports.
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The zone approach to countermeasure deployment is a multi-step process intended to increase the efficiency of safety programs by focusing attention on locations with histories of crash problems or the existence of known crash risks, such as high vehicle speeds or the absence of adequate street lighting at night.
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The technique of defining pedestrian safety zones and applying countermeasures in them, which was defined in a previous study, was not widely adopted by locales seeking to initiate pedestrian safety countermeasure programs in the years following the study's publication. One possible reason this technique did not gain traction may have been the cost and time involved in attempting to treat as many identified zones as possible to achieve a city-wide effect. To overcome this issue, the zone approach might be modified to focus on applying low-cost countermeasures that can be more easily supported in a jurisdiction’s budget and implemented in a relatively short time and limited area.
Dunlap Research is excited to present the first episode of Dunlap Did It.
Host Jason Jefferies, Communication Associate at Dunlap Research, interviews Richard Blomberg (Vice President, Dunlap Research) and Dr. Timothy Wright (Senior Principal Research Associate, Dunlap Research) about the Low-Cost Pedestrian Safety Zone Case Study project for NHTSA.
The study can be viewed here.
About the Experts
Richard Blomberg, MS
Mr. Blomberg has directed or been involved in the application of human engineering and systems analytic principles to highway safety, product safety, aircraft design and certification, and the design and evaluation of human-computer interfaces. Much of his work has been devoted to studying traffic safety problems related to pedestrians, bicyclists, and the effects of alcohol and drug use. He has also focused on the evaluation of the safety aspects of systems and components and on the development and testing of safety messages and warnings. Mr. Blomberg provides consulting and expert advisory services on accident causation, risk management, warnings, product design, and manufacturing quality to industrial, governmental and forensic clients. From 1987 to 2002 Mr. Blomberg served as a member, chair, and human factors specialist on NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel. For this service, he received the Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest honor NASA awards to any non-government employee.
Timothy Wright, PhD
Dr. Wright has led a diverse array of projects that focused on transportation safety. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was appointed to the TRB’s Committee on Simulation and Measurement of Vehicle and Operator Performance and elected the Vice President and subsequently President of the New England Chapter of HFES.
Jason Jefferies, MA
Jason Jefferies is an experienced writer, editor, project manager, business manager and event manager with a background spanning journalism, media, web development, festival production and higher education. He has written for several publications and organizations including SOMA, The Colorado Sun, Aspen Public Radio, The Lemming, VegNews, and WRAL. He hosts two podcasts with over 50,000 listeners (Bookin’ and The Listmas Podcast) that feature interviews with award-winning and bestselling authors, philosophers, thought leaders, musicians, and journalists. At Dunlap Research, Jason prepares, writes, reviews, and edits scientific and technical reports, proposals, and literature reviews. He collaborates with Principal Investigators on project strategies and timelines, manages internal and external communications, helps to run the production of major conferences, and oversees Dunlap’s website.
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