Programs

Safety

All activities and programs led by CDOT share one ultimate objective – to improve safety. CDOT is committed to providing safe and efficient transportation systems that support economic vitality and quality of life for Charlotte residents and visitors.

The City of Charlotte has adopted Vision Zero as one of our programs to keep safety at the forefront of all that we do. Across the globe, Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries, is saving and protecting lives while increasing safety, health and mobility for all. Visit the Vision Zero page for more information on this important initiative.

Leading Pedestrian Intervals

The Charlotte Department of Transportation has been striving to make the City more pedestrian friendly. One way the City has been doing this is to install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPI). The LPI is a traffic signal operation that gives pedestrians a walk signal before vehicle traffic traveling parallel to the pedestrians gets a green signal, and typically is 3-10 seconds in duration. LPIs improve the pedestrian walking experience and has been shown to reduce crashes between vehicles and pedestrians by as much as 60% at treated intersections, thereby encouraging people to use walking as their mode of travel. The City has also taken LPIs to the next level with the “LPI+”, which uses right turn flashing yellow arrow signals to hold only right turning traffic during the LPI, and not through-traffic. This minimizes the impacts of LPIs on vehicle delays and, in some cases, allows the LPI duration to be extended to cover the full walk and flashing don’t walk periods. The City currently has 258 intersections with LPIs.

Transcript Leading Pedestrian Intervals increase safety

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in a rapidly growing city like Charlotte
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it is critical to provide safe
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convenient and reliable transportation
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options part of that is making sure our
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streets are safe and accessible for
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people of all ages and abilities whether
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they're walking biking or traveling by
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bus or car for example this includes
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improving intersections to help reduce
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crashes one way we're doing that is by
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using a leading pedestrian interval a
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new feature being added to select
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intersections a leading pedestrian
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interval gives pedestrians a head start
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when entering an intersection
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this makes pedestrians more visible to
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drivers and reinforces their priority
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over vehicles within the intersection in
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fact intersections with this system have
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been shown to reduce pedestrian vehicle
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collisions by as much as 60 percent
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here's how the system works first
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pedestrians should always press the
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crosswalk button when available this
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lets the signal know there are
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pedestrians waiting to cross then
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pedestrians get a minimum three second
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head start entering the intersection the
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conflicting traffic has a red light
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during this time after the leading
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pedestrian interval time or head starts
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traffic going in the same direction is
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given the green light and turning
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traffic yields to pedestrians who are
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already in the crosswalk
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at intersections where heavy
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right-turning volumes create additional
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safety concerns a no turn on red sign
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may also be installed this provides
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additional protection for pedestrians
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the City of Charlotte is dedicated to
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finding additional ways to increase the
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safety of our residents when traveling
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throughout Charlotte learn more at
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charlotte NC gov slash transportation
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Safety Tips

Pedestrians and bicyclists are the most vulnerable users of our roadways. All of us, no matter how we choose to travel, share in a responsibility to keep pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists safe.

Between 2010 and 2014, Charlotte averaged 329 pedestrian crashes per year, with 65 of the crashes during that time period resulting in a pedestrian's death. These incidents can be avoided! The Charlotte Department of Transportation is working hard to providing a safe, accessible environment for all pedestrians. Here are some things you can do to help.

When you're driving…

Always watch for pedestrians.
Obey the speed limit.
Don't have your head buried in your cell phone while you're driving.
You simply can't drive safely and text at the same time.
Driver inattention or distracted driving was a contributing factor in over 22% of crashes in Charlotte last year. That's roughly the same as alcohol, drug use, aggressive driving, running stop lights, and speeding combined. No text, tweet or call is worth someone's life.

When you're walking…

Cross at crosswalks and traffic signals.
Look both ways before crossing any street.
Don't assume drivers are going to stop for you. Make sure they see you before you start to cross the street.
Walk on the sidewalk. If there isn't a sidewalk, walk on the road shoulder facing oncoming traffic.
Distracted walking is also a problem. If you're texting someone while you're crossing the street, you can't see what's happening around you.
Do everything you can to see and be seen. Wear bright colors at night.