Traffic-Calming Measures and Road Traffic Collisions and Injuries: A Spatiotemporal Analysis

Traffic-calming measures (TCMs) are physical modifications of the road network aimed at making the roads safer. Although researchers have reported reductions in numbers of road crashes and injuries tied to the presence of TCMs, such studies have been criticized for their pre-/post- designs. In this study, we aimed to complement our knowledge of TCMs' effectiveness by assessing their impact using a longitudinal design. The implementation of 8 TCMs, including curb extensions and speed humps, was evaluated at the intersection and census tract levels in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from 2012 to 2019. The primary outcome was fatal or serious collisions among all road users. Inference was performed using a Bayesian implementation of conditional Poisson regression in which random effects were used to account for the spatiotemporal variation in collisions. TCMs were generally implemented on local roads, although most collisions occurred on arterial roads. Overall, there was weak evidence that TCMs were associated with study outcomes. However, subgroup analyses of intersections on local roads suggested a reduction in collision rates due to TCMs (median incidence rate ratio, 0.31; 95% credible interval: 0.12, 0.86). To improve road safety, effective counterparts of TCMs on arterial roads must be identified and implemented.