Pedestrian Priority in Traffic Reduces Pedestrian Deaths Due to Traffic Accidents

With the pedestrian priority regulation in traffic, the decrease in pedestrian deaths due to traffic accidents continues

With the amendment to the Highways Traffic Law on October 26, 2018, priority was given to pedestrians for the first time at intersection entrances and exits, and pedestrian and school crossings, which did not have any illuminated traffic signs but were identified with a traffic sign.

Following this change, our Ministry initiated a campaign for pedestrian safety with the motto “Priority of Life, Priority of the Pedestrian” in 81 provinces at the same time, covering drivers and pedestrians to create pedestrian traffic awareness in the society.

3 million 678 thousand 963 Drivers and Pedestrians were given training

While the physical conditions of the pedestrian crossings in the provinces were reviewed within the scope of the campaign, importance was also given to training activities. Since 2019, awareness training has been given to 3 million 678 thousand 963 drivers and pedestrians to emphasize that pedestrians are the priority.

In addition, in order to raise the attention of drivers by warning them before pedestrian and school crossings and to give pedestrians the first right to pass by slowing down, pedestrian visuals that emphasize pedestrian priority on the highway were drawn first, in the approach direction of the vehicles, on all unlit school and pedestrian crossings. As of 20 October 2020, a pedestrian icon was applied to 17 thousand 948 pedestrian crossings and 11 thousand 355 school crossings.

Pedestrian Deaths at the Accident Site Fell 35,5

With the pedestrian priority regulation in traffic, pedestrian deaths due to traffic accidents started to decrease. Between October 26, 2016 and October 25, 2018, 1077 pedestrians died at the crash site before the bill was approved by the parliament. In the period between October 26, 2018, when the law amendment was passed, and October 25, 2020, pedestrian deaths at the accident site decreased by 382, ​​to 695. With the arrangement, a 35,5 percent decrease was achieved in deaths at the accident site.

Again, before the law change, in the period between October 26, 2016 and August 25, 2018, a total of 3 pedestrians died at or after the accident. After the change, the number of pedestrians who died at the accident site and afterwards fell by 230 to 26 2018 between October 25, 2020 and August 864, 2. Thus, a 366 percent decrease in pedestrian deaths was achieved at the crash site and afterwards.