Air pollution has a major impact on human health and quality of life; therefore, its determinants should be studied to promote effective management and reduction. Here, we examined the influence of the built environment on air pollution by analyzing the relationship between the built environment and particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5 and PM10). Air pollution data collected in Seoul in 2014 were spatially mapped using geographic information system tools, and PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were determined in individual neighborhoods using an interpolation method. PM2.5 and PM10 failed to show spatial autocorrelation; therefore, we analyzed the associations between PM fractions and built environment characteristics using an ordinary least squares regression model. PM2.5 and PM10 exhibited some differences in spatial distributions, suggesting that the built environment has different effects on these fractions. For instance, high PM10 concentrations were associated with neighborhoods with more bus routes, bus stops, and river areas. Meanwhile, both PM2.5 and PM10 were more likely to be high in areas with more commercial areas and multi-family housing, but low in areas with more main roads, more single-family housing, and high average gross commercial floor area. This study is expected to contribute to establishing policies and strategies to promote sustainability in Seoul, Korea.

Pedestrian-vehicle crashes can result in serious injury to pedestrians, who are exposed to danger when in close proximity to moving vehicles. Furthermore, these injuries can be considerably serious and even lead to death in a manner that varies depending on the pedestrian’s age. This is because the pedestrian’s physical characteristics and behaviors, particularly in relation to roads with moving vehicles, differ depending on the pedestrian’s age. This study examines the determinants of pedestrian injury severity by pedestrian age using binary logistic regression. Factors in the built environment, such as road characteristics and land use of the places where pedestrian crashes occurred, were considered, as were the accident characteristics of the pedestrians and drivers. The analysis determined that the accident characteristics of drivers and pedestrians are more influential in pedestrian-vehicle crashes than the factors of the built environmental characteristics. However, there are substantial differences in injury severity relative to the pedestrian’s age. Young pedestrians (aged under 20 years old) are more likely to suffer serious injury in school zones; however, no association between silver zones and injury severity is found for elderly pedestrians. For people in the age range of 20–39 years old, the severity of pedestrian injuries is lower in areas with more crosswalks and speed cameras. People in the age range of 40–64 years old are more likely to be injured in areas with more neighborhood streets and industrial land use. Elderly pedestrians are likely to suffer fatal injuries in areas with more traffic signals. This study finds that there are differences in the factors of pedestrian injury severity according to the age of pedestrians. Therefore, it is suggested that concrete and efficient policies related to pedestrian age are required to improve pedestrian safety and reduce pedestrian-vehicle crashes.

Walking is the most basic movement of humans and the most fundamental mode of transportation. To promote walking, it is necessary to create a safe environment for pedestrians. However, pedestrian-vehicle crashes still remain relatively high in South Korea. This study employs a multilevel model to examine the differences between the lower-level individual characteristics of pedestrian crashes and the upper-level neighborhood environmental characteristics in Seoul, South Korea. The main results of this study are as follows. The individual characteristics of pedestrian-vehicle crashes are better at explaining pedestrian injury severity than built environment characteristics at the neighborhood level. Older pedestrians and drivers suffer more severe pedestrian injuries. Larger vehicles such as trucks and vans are more likely to result in a high severity of pedestrian injuries. Pedestrian injuries increase during inclement weather and at night. The severity of pedestrian injuries is lower at intersections and crosswalks without traffic signals than at crosswalks and intersections with traffic signals. Finally, school zones and silver zones, which are representative policies for pedestrian safety in South Korea, fail to play a significant role in reducing the severity of pedestrian injuries. The results of this study can guide policymakers and planners when making decisions on how to build neighborhoods that are safer for pedestrians.

This study aimed to determine how built environments affect pedestrian–vehicle collisions. The study examined pedestrian–vehicular crashes that occurred between 2013 and 2015 in Seoul, Korea, by comparing and analyzing different effects of the built environment on pedestrian–vehicle crashes. Specifically, the study analyzed built environment attributes, land use environment, housing types, road environment, and traffic characteristics to determine how these factors affect the severity of pedestrian injury. The results of the statistical analysis appear to infer that the built environment attributes had dissimilar impacts on pedestrian collisions, depending on the injury severity. In general, both incapacitating and non-incapacitating injuries appear to be more likely to be caused by the built environment than fatal and possible injuries. These results highlight the need to consider injury severity when implementing more effective interventions and strategies for ensuring pedestrian safety. However, because of the small sample size, an expanded research project regarding this issue should be considered, as it would contribute to the development and implementation of effective policies and interventions for pedestrian safety in Korea. This study therefore offers practical information regarding the development of such an expanded study to inform future traffic safety policies in Seoul to establish a “safe walking city.”

Walking is the most natural form of moving in everyday life. However, the urban environment is not always safe for walking. Hence, it is appropriate to create pedestrian safety-oriented neighborhood environments to promote walkability. This study identifies factors that can affect the severity of pedestrian injuries by considering and comparing the individual characteristics of pedestrian crashes and the built environment of neighborhoods using a hierarchical model. The main results of this study are as follows. Those under 18 and over 65 years of age, which are recognized as vulnerable road users, are more affected by the neighborhood environments than other age groups. Parks, convenience stores, and restaurants are likely to play a significant role in reducing the severity of pedestrian injuries. However, for pedestrians under 18 years of age, convenience stores that students often visit after school are likely to increase the severity of pedestrian injuries. The severity of pedestrian injuries is likely to be lower at non-signalized crosswalks and intersections than at signalized crosswalks and intersections. The study is expected to contribute to existing literature on the topic and guide policy makers and planners to arrive at consensus approaches when making decisions on how to build pedestrian safety-oriented neighborhoods.