Analyzing Pedestrian Perceptions towards Traffic Safety Using Discrete Choice Models

Policymakers and national, regional, and local authorities will require to cater to growing demands for public services and facilities, including the implementation of better and safer infrastructure. This should be conducted focusing on the urban poor and other vulnerable groups for their basic needs for transportation, housing, education, health care, and, more importantly, a safe and liveable urban environment. Meanwhile, pedestrians are often the most vulnerable road users in society, so investigating pedestrian accidents' causes and consequences is essential. Like neighboring countries in Asia, Indonesia experiences a high pedestrian fatality rate. This study investigates pedestrian perceptions toward traffic safety and identifies novel measures to improve pedestrian safety, with a particular focus on developing cities. Data collection involved self-reporting using questionnaires by respondents based in Denpasar, the capital city of Bali Province. Binary and multinomial logit models were estimated using pedestrian perception data to identify the factors that influence pedestrian accidents. This study found that reckless or careless driving/riding contributed significantly to pedestrian accidents at both night and day times. Besides, junctions and pedestrian crossings were perceived to be dangerous for pedestrians compared to other road infrastructure such as footpaths. The outcome of the study also reveals that motorcycles will be more influential for pedestrian accidents than cars. To reflect upon the findings, some countermeasures for enhancing pedestrian safety in Denpasar were discussed with attention to engineering, policy, enforcement, and education perspectives.