Why do lower-income areas experience worse road safety outcomes? Examining the role of the built environment in Orange County, Florida

Abstract

Lower-income areas experience an increased incidence of traffic crashes, injuries, and deaths than more affluent ones. Researchers tend to blame these outcomes on differences in car ownership, with lower-income households expected to use vulnerable active modes at higher rates, as well as being more likely to drive older vehicles with fewer safety features. While these explanations seem plausible enough, they likely fail to provide a complete picture of the problem. This study examines the role of the built environment in road safety outcomes for lower- and higher-income block groups in Orange County, Florida. It finds that the hazard posed by urban arterials is three times greater for lower-income environments than for more affluent communities. Sidewalk buffers, ordinarily regarded as a pedestrian amenity, were associated with crash increases in affluent areas but not lower-income ones. Areas with concentrations of black residents were found to be increased risk, even after accounting for differences in income. Considered as a whole, the risk factors for lower-income and high-income populations are not the same. This article examines the underlying reasons that lead to these outcomes and discusses the need to better account for the manner in which design may uniquely affect the safety of different demographic cohorts.