Every Second Pedestrian Accident in December Occurs at Crosswalks in the Dark

This is according to data from Statistik Austria, which VCÖ has analysed. Throughout the year, 40 percent of these accidents occurred on a crosswalk. In December, it was even more than half. Every ninth victim of all pedestrian accidents in the dark or at dusk in 2023 was a child.

In total, 3,434 pedestrians were involved in road accidents last year, 52 of which were fatal. Of the 972 injured at dusk or in the dark, 215 suffered severe injuries, and another 21 died. "It is alarming that 386 pedestrians were hit on a crosswalk," said VCÖ expert Katharina Jaschinsky.

The VCÖ reminds of Paragraph 20 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO): "The driver of a vehicle must adjust the driving speed to the visibility conditions." A vehicle may also "approach a crosswalk only at such a speed that the vehicle can stop before the crosswalk."

More Than 100 Children Involved in Accidents

104 of those involved in accidents at dusk or in the dark last year were children on foot. "The driver of a vehicle must behave towards persons for whom the principle of trust does not apply, in particular by reducing the driving speed and being ready to brake, so that a danger is excluded," says the StVO. In addition, the "invisible crosswalk" applies to children: they must be allowed to cross the road safely even where there is no such crosswalk.

Therefore, traffic planners should focus on traffic calming and increased 30 km/h zones in urban areas, said Jaschinsky. The stopping distance is half as short as at 50 km/h. To improve visibility, the no stopping and parking rule at crosswalks should be extended from five to ten meters. They should also be better lit.

(APA/Red)

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