Street Reset Uses Traffic Collision Data to Identify the Top 10 High-risk Areas for Pedestrians

Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 350 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic collisions. Although overall statistics about traffic collisions are publicly available from the TD and the police, it is still very difficult for the general public to gain a clear picture of the geographical pattern of where collisions happened.

Hence, through various Access to Information requests to TD, Street Reset (an advocacy group for human-oriented street design) has obtained the details and geo-location of each collision that happened from 2014-2019. Using 5-year data from 2015-2019, we have undertaken a holistic, spatially-oriented analysis of the key trends, characteristics and spatial clusters of all pedestrian collisions in Hong Kong. The entire research report is available in the attachments on this page.

Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable amongst all road users

In 2015-2019, 16,243 pedestrians suffered injuries in reported collisions, of which 3,703 were killed or seriously injured (KSI). Although only about 19% of all collisions involved pedestrians, pedestrians accounted for more than half (57%) of the total number of fatalities. Pedestrians suffer from the highest rate of fatal or serious injuries (KSI) when compared to other road user types.

Elderly pedestrians are the most at risk

Amongst the 350 pedestrians killed in 2015-2019, 61% (214) were aged 65+. Although pedestrian KSI casualties declined in most age groups when compared to 2010-2014, we see a considerable increase in KSI casualties in three elderly age groups (60-64, 65-69 and 80-84) in this five-year period (2015-2019). In particular, the highest increase of 37.1% is recorded for ages 65-69. Even though the total number of pedestrian casualties has declined, elderly pedestrians are becoming more at risk from fatal and serious injuries.

Secondary roads have the highest risk of pedestrian collisions

Using road classification used by the Lands Department, we found that the majority (71%) of collisions involving pedestrians happened on, or at the junction with, secondary roads (such as side streets and connector roads between main roads). This may be in contrast to general perceptions that most collisions involving pedestrians happen on the main roads, which in fact only accounts for about 20% of pedestrian collisions.

Top 10 High-risk Pedestrian Collision Hotzones

We ranked the top 10 'High-risk Pedestrian Collision Hotzones' based on crash density (number of collisions per kilometre). The list includes 2 hotzones in Wan Chai, 3 hotzones in the New Territories (Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long) and 5 hotzones in Kowloon (Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong and Yau Tsim Mong). Wan Chai Road (the section between Heard Street and Burrows Street) is the top-ranked hotzone with the highest pedestrian collision density, while the Sham Shui Po Market Area (Pei Ho Street, Kweilin Street, Ki Lung Street, Tai Nan Street and Yu Chau Street) and the section between Johnston Road and Chun Yuen Street in Wan Chai ranked second and third. Most hotzones are located on local streets and four hotzones are located near markets (or municipal services buildings), which have high pedestrian flows and are key destinations in the neighbourhood.

An interactive map showing the hotzones can be found in the Hong Kong Traffic Injury Collision Database (developed by Street Reset): https://hkdistricts-info.shinyapps.io/trafficcollisions

Rank	Location	District	Pedestrian collisions (2015–2019)	Road length in zone (m)	Collision density (per km)
1	Wan Chai Road	Wan Chai	21	86	243
2	Market streets near Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building (Pei Ho St, Kweilin St, Ki Lung St, Tai Nan St & Yu Chau St)	Sham Shui Po	126	758	166
3	Johnston Road at the junction of Spring Garden Lane	Wan Chai	19	118	161
4	Hong Keung Street & Tseuk Luk Street	Wong Tai Sin	26	187	139
5	Market streets near Yeung Uk Road Market (Chuen Lung St, Ho Pa St, San Tsuen St)	Tsuen Wan	99	747	133
6	Market streets near Shui Wo Street Municipal Services Building (Shui Ning St, Shui Wo St & Fu Yan St)	Kwun Tong	31	266	117
7	Shanghai Street at the junction of Jordan Road	Yau Tsim Mong	29	266	109
8	Tsuen Kwai Street at the junction of Tsuen Fu Street	Tsuen Wan	18	166	109
9	Market streets near Tung Yick Market (Tai Tong Rd, Kuk Ting St, Fau Tsoi St, Hop Choi St & Yat San St)	Yuen Long	50	467	107
10	Area around Nathan Road and Dundas Street (Nathan Rd, Dundas St, Portland St, Hamilton St & Fa Yuen St)	Yau Tsim Mong	94	884	106

Policy and Design Recommendations

To tackle holistically the issues identified, we have put forward ten recommendations ranging from policy approaches to street design measures:

1. Adopt the Safe System Approach as the overarching principle in the government's road safety strategy (TLB, TD, HyD, Road Safety Council, the Police)

Creating a 'forgiving street environment' that is designed around vulnerable road users (including pedestrians) is essential to road safety, particularly because Hong Kong's population is aging. The road infrastructure should not only work when all pedestrians and motorists obey the traffic rules perfectly, but also reduce the severity of collisions when someone makes a mistake, and prevent fatal and serious injuries as much as possible.

2. Prioritise pedestrians at the Top 10 High-risk Collision Hotzones through holistic street redesign (TD)

Given there are so many users competing for space at these locations, it is essential to remove risk factors by reducing vehicle speeds and/or volume. Rather than continuing to correct human behaviour through failed measures, we should provide more dedicated space and/or priority to pedestrians to enable safer and more convenient crossing movements.

3. Utilise 'link and place' street types as a framework to determine modal priorities, context-specific design and speed limits (TLB and TD)

'Link and place' street type matrix is a street classification system that can reflect a street's importance by both of their link and place functions. Given the TD has already adopted the 'link and place' concept through their new Pedestrian Planning Framework, we hope that the TLB and TD will systematically identify a 'link and place' street type for all streets and roads in built-up areas, and use it to inform road space reallocation proposals suitable to its context.

4. Lower speed limits on streets with high risk of pedestrian-vehicle conflict (TD)

TD should implement lower speed limits with effective traffic calming measures at high-risk locations, in reference to the typologies proposed in the TD's new Pedestrian Planning Framework: 30 km/h on any 'inner grid' streets, or 'outer grid' streets with high place function and/or footfall, as well as those in proximity to sensitive land uses (such as healthcare facilities, schools and elderly/community centres); 40 km/h on 'outer grid' streets in densely populated areas.

5. Manage vehicle speeds effectively with a widespread roll-out of physical traffic calming measures, especially on secondary roads (TD and HyD)

To manage vehicle speeds effectively, it is important to make the speed limits self-enforcing by installing traffic calming measures wherever possible. More physical traffic calming measures, including raised tables, should be installed across the road network where feasible, especially on secondary roads where the majority of pedestrian collisions happen.

6. Make crossing points more visible by safeguarding vehicle-pedestrian sight lines (TD and HyD)

Kerb build-outs and gateway features should be installed around junctions, and all controlled and uncontrolled (cautionary) crossing points where possible. This approach can physically deter vehicles from illegal parking, safeguarding pedestrian-vehicle visibility from being obscured.

7. Provide more at-grade crossing points that fit better for prevailing pedestrian desire lines where possible (TD)

If there is already a strong desire line amongst pedestrians to cross at a particular location, the use of guard railing often cannot deter all pedestrians from doing so. Rather than using physical severance features to make pedestrians cross with an indirect route, we recommend the TD to consider formalising the desire lines by providing at-grade crossings as much as possible.

8. Conduct a comprehensive review on the use of guard railings on all streets in built-up areas (TD)

When guard railings are used at the right location, they may render some safety benefits. However, overseas evidence shows that guard railings can increase traffic speeds and cause a higher likelihood of pedestrian KSI collisions on urban streets. As we also see a higher proportion (8%) of pedestrian KSI casualties at controlled crossings where guard railings are routinely used, this phenomenon may be similar to the situation overseas. We understand the TD has already begun adopting a "minimal approach" in the provision of pedestrian guard railings since late 2019 at some priority areas. We suggest the TD speed up the process of guard railing removal by conducting a comprehensive review of guard railings on all urban streets.

9. Making public service vehicles and goods vehicles safer with more stringent safety standards (TLB and TD)

We urge the TLB and TD to mandate the fitting of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems on all newly registered public service vehicles and goods vehicles. We also urge them to progressively mandate comprehensive Visibility Standards for all medium and heavy goods vehicles, under which all such vehicles should be equipped with designs or devices that enable drivers to either see directly or monitor every blind spot of their vehicle.

10. Improve collision data transparency by setting up an official, map-based collision database for public use (TD)

To make it easier for the public to gain a clear picture of the geographical pattern of where collisions happened, we recommend the TD to set up an official, map-based collision database for public use, and to release the geo-coordinates and details of all traffic collisions as part of their Annual Spatial Data Plans (ASDP).