Transportation
Study of the Day: Bad Street Design Disproportionately Hurts the Poor
Residents in low-income areas are more likely to get injured out on the road, according to researchers.
The poor disproportionately feel the impacts of bad road design, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Researchers charted the injury rates for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists in Montreal over five years. They found that "there were significantly more injured pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicle occupants at intersections in the poorest than in the richest areas." Pedestrians in low-income neighborhoods were six times more likely to be injured, even after controlling for traffic and pedestrian volume. Drivers were 4.3 times more likely to be injured; a cyclist's risk was 3.9 times higher.