Initiative details
In 2018, an analysis of the causes of road crashes involving pedestrians in the voivodship Małopolskie in Poland found that 68% of such crashes occurred in the vicinity of pedestrian crossings. The Małopolska Voivodship Police Headquarters in Cracow undertook a detailed assessment of the illumination of and road markings at pedestrian crossings for the whole region. The study identified a large number of deficiencies, especially related to illumination. The official statistics confirmed the high risk for pedestrians on pedestrian crossings.
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Children 0-16
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Seniors
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Educational staff
Public transport
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers
Cyclists
Micromobility riders
Powered two wheeler riders (excluding micromobility)
Pedestrians
Topic
Knowledge building and sharing
Create awareness
Improve vehicles and infrastructure
Organisation details
Pedestrian safety - common responsibility
Local Public authority
Poland
Małopolska
Contact name
Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco
Telephone number
+48 663205 779
k.dobrzanska-junco@mord.krakow.pl
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
Małopolska Voivodship Road Safety Council is composed of 30 organizations responding directly to the Marshal of Małopolska including the commune self-governments of Małopolska (one of 16 voivodships in Poland), Traffic Department of Małopolska Voivodship Police Headquarters in Cracow and the Cities and District headquarters, Firefighters Voivodship Headquarters, Emergency Services, the Voivodship Road Authority in Cracow, the Board of Education in Cracow, Inspection of Road Transport in Cracow; the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways in Cracow; the Małopolska Road Traffic Centers, Universities, media as well as non-profit organizations.
In 2021 the implementation of the safe system project in Małopolska was included in the World Bank & ITF / OECD Report as an example to follow: “The Safe System Approach in Action”.
In 2021 the implementation of the safe system project in Małopolska was included in the World Bank & ITF / OECD Report as an example to follow: “The Safe System Approach in Action”.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
Recognizing that pedestrians are at most risk at pedestrian crossings, the Polish region of Małopolska made a detailed analysis of all pedestrian crossings in the region, verified them, illuminated crossings and improved road markings. In addition, speed limits were reduced to 50km/h at pedestrian crossings across the regions on regional and national roads. Additionally the cities implemented 30 km/h zones. The changes in infrastructure were connected to the long term awareness campaigns aimed at pedestrians and drivers, as well as improvement of the post-crash response system in the region.
All interventions within the pedestrian project were based on four main pillars:
• Illumination of the pedestrian crossings in the region on all kinds of roads;
• Reduction of speed limits before all pedestrian crossings on regional and national roads;
• Prevention programmes aimed at pedestrians and drivers;
• Post-crash response and psychological help for road-crash victims and their families.
In 2019, more than 200 pedestrian crossings on national, provincial, county and municipal roads were illuminated in the region. In this respect, Małopolska plays a leading role in the country, and the total amount allocated to this aim in 2019 was approximately PLN 7 million. In 2020, another 122 pedestrian crossings on national and provincial roads were illuminated in the Małopolska Voivodship and
each year the region continues the project in order to illuminate all crossings on all type of roads. The Council also strengthened support for victims and families, providing additional post-crash care. This included strengthening and implementing a national commemoration of World Day of Remembrance, financial support to broaden the workshops and psychological help for the victims and families, and the establishment of a professional system of post-crash response through the National Center for Trauma Recovery for victims and families in Zabawa, Małopolska.
Other initiatives targeted students from the region (e.g. providing reflective materials for children, local events and initiatives such as debates, press interviews on safety, painting, knowledge contests and meeting with seniors to join common road safety goals), education via radio and television (showing practical examples from roads of positive and negative behaviors both drivers and pedestrians), and peer-to-peer education.
In 2021 the Polish Government started to apply the program to the whole country, based on the experience gained in Małopolska, with a separate budget for county roads and municipal roads. By that
time Małopolska had illuminated 322 pedestrian crossings in the region on different kinds of roads.
At the same time, the Polish Government introduced a set of changes to the Traffic Code relevant to pedestrian safety. These included priority of pedestrians when approaching pedestrian crossings, a ban on pedestrians’ phone use while crossing the road, speed limits of 50 km/h at all times in built-up areas, regulations regarding e-scooter traffic and safe distance between vehicles, as well as very strict penalties in the Penal Code for any offences or crime on the roads.
The project of illuminations also included inclusive mobility part.
In 2022 Malopolska was visited by 16,9 millions of tourists, 75 % of them visited the region by car. Malopolska is located very near the Ukrainian border. The region hosted since the beginning of 2022 millions of Ukrainians – part of them only passed through the region and part of them stayed. The Council decided to also approach the Ukrainian citizens with inclusive mobility program - focusing also vulnerable road users, which included:
-Cooperation with General Consulate of Ukraine in Cracow
-Implementation of trainings and workshops regarding all traffic rules, prevention and mobility in the region of Malopolska including micromobility and vulnerable road users
-Preparation of materials and tools available in Ukrainian language
All interventions within the pedestrian project were based on four main pillars:
• Illumination of the pedestrian crossings in the region on all kinds of roads;
• Reduction of speed limits before all pedestrian crossings on regional and national roads;
• Prevention programmes aimed at pedestrians and drivers;
• Post-crash response and psychological help for road-crash victims and their families.
In 2019, more than 200 pedestrian crossings on national, provincial, county and municipal roads were illuminated in the region. In this respect, Małopolska plays a leading role in the country, and the total amount allocated to this aim in 2019 was approximately PLN 7 million. In 2020, another 122 pedestrian crossings on national and provincial roads were illuminated in the Małopolska Voivodship and
each year the region continues the project in order to illuminate all crossings on all type of roads. The Council also strengthened support for victims and families, providing additional post-crash care. This included strengthening and implementing a national commemoration of World Day of Remembrance, financial support to broaden the workshops and psychological help for the victims and families, and the establishment of a professional system of post-crash response through the National Center for Trauma Recovery for victims and families in Zabawa, Małopolska.
Other initiatives targeted students from the region (e.g. providing reflective materials for children, local events and initiatives such as debates, press interviews on safety, painting, knowledge contests and meeting with seniors to join common road safety goals), education via radio and television (showing practical examples from roads of positive and negative behaviors both drivers and pedestrians), and peer-to-peer education.
In 2021 the Polish Government started to apply the program to the whole country, based on the experience gained in Małopolska, with a separate budget for county roads and municipal roads. By that
time Małopolska had illuminated 322 pedestrian crossings in the region on different kinds of roads.
At the same time, the Polish Government introduced a set of changes to the Traffic Code relevant to pedestrian safety. These included priority of pedestrians when approaching pedestrian crossings, a ban on pedestrians’ phone use while crossing the road, speed limits of 50 km/h at all times in built-up areas, regulations regarding e-scooter traffic and safe distance between vehicles, as well as very strict penalties in the Penal Code for any offences or crime on the roads.
The project of illuminations also included inclusive mobility part.
In 2022 Malopolska was visited by 16,9 millions of tourists, 75 % of them visited the region by car. Malopolska is located very near the Ukrainian border. The region hosted since the beginning of 2022 millions of Ukrainians – part of them only passed through the region and part of them stayed. The Council decided to also approach the Ukrainian citizens with inclusive mobility program - focusing also vulnerable road users, which included:
-Cooperation with General Consulate of Ukraine in Cracow
-Implementation of trainings and workshops regarding all traffic rules, prevention and mobility in the region of Malopolska including micromobility and vulnerable road users
-Preparation of materials and tools available in Ukrainian language
Evaluation
What has been the effect of the activities?
- 322 iluminated pedestrian crossings on all types of roads
- Raise of awareness regarding pedestrians and vulnerable road user safety
- Improvement of the safety of pedestrians in whole region of Malopolska on pedestrian crossings:
2016: 18 fatalities, 485 crashes
2019: 12 fatalities and 328 crashes
2022: 8 fatalities and 234 crashes
- Raise of awareness regarding pedestrians and vulnerable road user safety
- Improvement of the safety of pedestrians in whole region of Malopolska on pedestrian crossings:
2016: 18 fatalities, 485 crashes
2019: 12 fatalities and 328 crashes
2022: 8 fatalities and 234 crashes
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
It is based on Global, National and Voivodship Road Safety Improvement Programs, based on the Safe System Approach and opened for inclusive mobility initiatives.
The initiative focuses on vulnerable road users. It is evidence based and evaluated, based on the Global Plan: the National Road Safety Improvement Program for 2021-2030. The Council in Marc 2022 created and implemented as the first region in Poland the regional Road Safety Voivodship Improvement Program for 2021-2030.
The project of illuminations also included inclusive mobility part.
IThe Council decided to also approach the Ucranian citizens with inclusive mobility program which included:
-Cooperation with General Consulate of Ukraine in Cracow
-Implementation of trainings and workshops regarding all traffic rules, prevention and mobility in the region of Malopolska including micromobility and vulnerable road users
-Preparation of materials and tools available in Ukranian language
The initiative focuses on vulnerable road users. It is evidence based and evaluated, based on the Global Plan: the National Road Safety Improvement Program for 2021-2030. The Council in Marc 2022 created and implemented as the first region in Poland the regional Road Safety Voivodship Improvement Program for 2021-2030.
The project of illuminations also included inclusive mobility part.
IThe Council decided to also approach the Ucranian citizens with inclusive mobility program which included:
-Cooperation with General Consulate of Ukraine in Cracow
-Implementation of trainings and workshops regarding all traffic rules, prevention and mobility in the region of Malopolska including micromobility and vulnerable road users
-Preparation of materials and tools available in Ukranian language
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
In 2021 the implementation of the safe system project in Małopolska was included in the World Bank & ITF / OECD Report as an example to follow: “The Safe System Approach in Action”.
Supporting materials
