Investigating Contributing Factors and Potential Countermeasures to Reduce Pedestrian Crashes at Intersections

About the project

The Commonwealth of Virginia has experienced an increase in pedestrian related crashes, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Pedestrian fatalities have increased approximately 19% - from an average of 120 per year to 143 per year - when comparing the three years before (2017-2019) the COVID-19 pandemic business closures to the three years after (2021-2023) the pandemic closures (VDOT, 2025). Anecdotal evidence suggests that certain geometric design elements—including tight right-turns, skewed intersections, and poor crosswalk placement or setback—may reduce sight distance and increase the risk of vehicle-pedestrian collisions. Concurrently, vehicle design changes, particularly the growing prevalence of larger A-pillars in newer vehicles, may exacerbate driver blind spots and further obstruct pedestrian visibility at intersections.

This research seeks to investigate how specific intersection design features and vehicle design characteristics contribute to pedestrian fatalities at intersections. The goal is to identify high-risk design conditions and vehicle configurations that impair visibility or increase the likelihood of fatal pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. A thorough understanding of the factors contributing to the increase in pedestrian fatalities will help VDOT implement countermeasures proactively to improve pedestrian safety at intersections across the state. The findings can be used to inform geometric design standards, identify and prioritize intersections for pedestrian safety improvements, and support efforts to include direct vision obstruction in vehicle safety ratings.

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