Another large
issue with trams is the conflict
between vehicles and pedestrians,
particularly at station areas. A study
from Sweden showed that threequarters
of
those injured in bus
and
tram
incidents sustained their injuries
at
bus
or tram stops, or at pedestrian
crossings
(Hedelin, Bunketorp,
and
Björnstig
2002). Measures to improve
safety
include
reducing vehicle
speeds
through speed humps, raised
pedestrian
crossings, or other traffic
calming
measures, shortening
crossing
distances,
and ensuring clear
visibility
at
station entries and exits. Horns
or
bells
can alert
pedestrians of
a coming
train.
Among other interventions,
arms
can close off the track area to prevent
pedestrians from crossing when trains
are passing (Cleghorn 2009).
More research is needed, particularly
statistical analysis on the design features
that can maximize safety for tram
corridors. Many of the issues found with
trams appear to be similar to those seen
with BRT (Duduta et al. 2015). In any
event, road safety audits and inspections
are important and will give designers
important information in improving
traffic safety.