cover image: If Health Matters - Integrating Public Health Objectives in Transportation Planning

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If Health Matters - Integrating Public Health Objectives in Transportation Planning

22 Apr 2021

Transport policies and planning decisions affect rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease and traffic crashes, (three of the leading causes of reduced longevity, as illustrated in Figure 1) and can also affect people’s ability to access health-related goods and services such as food and healthcare. [...] Land use patterns also affect physical and mental health by affecting how people travel, including the amount that people walk and bicycle, and are therefore physically active, and total vehicle travel and therefore crash risk, pollution emissions and costs burdens. [...] Ray (2020) recommends a Health in All Policies framework to identify diverse public policies and programs, such as targeted transportation planning, and coordination between government agencies to improve access to healthcare and other health-related goods and services. [...] Traffic Calming and Speed Control Traffic calming and speed reduction strategies (such as lower speed limits and improved speed enforcement) tend to improve safety by reducing crash frequency and severity, and sometimes by reducing total vehicle travel (NCCHPP 2012). [...] Most conventional strategies, such as targeted safety programs (e.g., graduated licenses and anti- drunk-driving campaigns), crash protection (e.g., seatbelt, helmet, and airbag regulations and encouragement), more efficient and alternative fuel (e.g., hybrid and electric) vehicles, and exercise and sport fitness programs, provide limited benefits.

Authors

Todd Litman

Pages
49
Published in
Canada

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