Improving Pedestrian Safety in Parking Lots

About the Program

Category: Transportation (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Pedestrian collisions in parking lots and garages in Montgomery County, Maryland increased over a three-year period from 2010 to 2012. In 2012, they comprised 30 percent of all collisions and surprisingly, 18 percent of those collisions resulted in incapacitating injuries – about the same as the percent of pedestrian collisions that occurred on County roads. To reduce the number and severity of parking lot collisions, the following steps were taken: • Conducted nationwide research on standards for parking lot design and information on pedestrian collisions in parking lots; • Developed a parking lot pedestrian safety strategic plan launched by the County Executive as a blueprint for reducing collisions; • Convened a County Executive “kitchen cabinet” comprised of property managers and owners to brainstorm ideas for reducing collisions, solicit their cooperation and help develop a public education campaign; • Conducted a survey with a broader group of property managers and owners and engaged parking and retail management associations to assist in reaching out to their members; and • Conducted a low-cost public education campaign. The results were very encouraging. Between August and December of 2013, parking lot pedestrian collisions decreased by 30 percent compared to the same period in 2012.