Bendigo Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Dugal James on ABC Radio Regional Victoria on Tue Jan 27 said the following:
Pedestrian road trauma is of particular concern in the winter months with wet roads and restricted vision of vehicle drivers, overcast skies and pedestrians wearing heavy dark clothing.
Pedestrians aged 70 years and older have the greatest risk of injury. *
Older adults are overrepresented in pedestrian fatalities and have an increased risk of severe injury.
They are more likely to sustain fractures in a crash, and they have a longer recovery time and likelihood of long-term disability.
Most pedestrians are killed when hit by a car (68.4%), followed by heavy transport vehicles or buses (13.1%) and trains (9.2%).
Pedestrians killed or seriously injured while intoxicated are more likely to be male and in the younger age groups.
Several studies suggest that pedestrians may be distracted by mobile phones when crossing a street.
* Understanding Pedestrian Crashes in Victoria
VULNERABLE ROAD USERS ARE THE HARDEST TO SEE IN WINTER MONTHS AND AT NIGHT.
BE VISIBLE – BE VIGILANT
The cold wet months of July to September are dangerous for pedestrians.
Drivers of vehicles face visibility problems such as:
Oncoming Vehicles in Rain
Fogged up Windows
Slippery Roads
Wearing dark clothing during these months is not safe – wear bright coloured clothing and caps
In Australia in 2022 there were 164 pedestrian fatalities*:
0-16 Years:
17-25 Years:
25-39 Years:
40- 64 Years:
65-74 Years:
75+ Years:
11
18
27
50
21
37
*Road Trauma Australia 2022 BITRE
