Análisis de seguridad vial enfocada en usuarios vulnerables: Centro Parroquial El Valle- Cantón Cuenca

Abstract

Road safety is essential to ensure the well-being of all users, especially in busy areas like the "El Valle" Parish Center. This sector experiences significant traffic from vehicles and pedestrians, including a notable population of vulnerable users such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and children. This study addresses the road safety issue in "El Valle," focusing on vulnerable users. The research is justified by the lack of infrastructure and insufficient road signage, which endangers the safety of these groups. Critical areas were identified based on the incidence of accidents, the conditions of the road infrastructure, and the volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Therefore, observations and photographic records were made to evaluate of dangerous practices and risk factors. Additionally, detailed information was gathered on the existing road infrastructure; vehicular and pedestrian traffic volumes were analyzed using video equipment and manual counts. The results reveal significant deficiencies in the road infrastructure, such as the absence of ramps, adequate pedestrian crossings, and clear signage. The most critical intersection was number one, with a maximum of 13,479 vehicles on Sunday, highlighting the Santa Ana-Cuenca traffic flow. On Monday, there is the highest influx of vulnerable users, reaching up to 38% of crossings of vulnerable users at Intersection 1 and 36% at Intersection 2, with a high concentration around noon due to children crossing from educational centers.