Human and Environmental Factors in Parking Lot Crash Risk for Older Pedestrians

The authors analyzed pedestrian crash data by age group for parking lot crashes occurring 2004-2008 in West Central Florida, finding: 1) Temporal variation in crash frequency in parking lots with higher frequencies in winter and spring, likely associated with tourist influxes to Florida; 2) Variation in crash frequency during daytime hours with a peak between 1 and 6 pm; 3) Greater crash risk (per 1000 population) for all crashes and serious crashes for teenage (age 15-19) and older (age 75+) pedestrians, as well as for younger (age 20-24) and older (age 75+) drivers; 4) Greater crash risk in smaller and residential than in larger parking lots; 5) No significant variation in crash frequency by parking space angle or by presence of crosswalks; and 6) Greater risk of backing vehicle crashes for older pedestrians (age 75+) and forward driving crashes for younger pedestrians (age 14 and below). The authors conclude, based on additional behavioral studies, that the most likely reason for the differential crash types in parking lots for older compared to younger pedestrians probably lies in the reduced speed with which older pedestrians can react to hazardous events. Potential countermeasures to improve safety could include age-targeted educational and rehabilitation campaigns to promote safer parking lot navigation and deployment of collision-avoidance technology.