Thanks to my pal Jacob for the tip.
This week's favorite comes to you from London, UK, via a fantastic article from the Next American City that talks about the correlation between traffic speed and pedestrian fatality. Incredible stuff:
- 5 percent of people die when struck by a motorist going 20 mph
- 45 percent of people die when struck by a motorist going 30 mph
- 85 percent of people die when struck by a motorist going 40 mph
- When cars exceed 20 mph, the comfort level of cyclists and pedestrians drops significantly
- Eye contact between drivers, and between drivers and pedestrians, drops rapidly at speeds greater than 20 mph
- Driving 20 mph requires a stopping distance of 150 feet, driving 30 mph requires a stopping distance of 200 feet, driving 35 mph requires a stopping distance of 250 feet.
Another gem related to this topic of street speed vs. safety comes from an article by the ever-awesome Streetsblog covering Toyota's recent hearing in the House oversight committee. Within, this juicy "rule of thumb" from a 2007 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study:
When travel speed increases by 1%, the injury crash rate increases by about 2%, the serious injury crash rate increases by about 3%, and the fatal crash rate increases by about 4%. The same relation holds in reverse: a 1% decrease in travel speed reduces injury crashes by about 2%, serious injury crashes by about 3%, and fatal crashes by about 4%.
Compelling proof that even the smallest changes in traffic speed can make the biggest difference for the safety of pedestrians. (I still hate the word "pedestrians." There must be a better alternative. "Walkers?" "People?")
Anyway, back to the photo: its photographer, Alan Stanton, has a very nice (and obsessive!) collection of street photos covering not just the bad & the ugly but also the good, including this lovely shot of the car-free Green Lanes Harringay Festival. Definitely worth checking out—do click through for a visit.
Every Friday I'll post a favorite narrow street snapshot from somewhere around the world. Got a Friday favorite of your own? Send me your photos!