Incident Analysis

The Pedestrian

The pedestrian was a visually impaired person who was walking alone. When the pedestrian tried to cross the intersection, the individual came into contact with a vehicle passing through the intersection.

The Vehicle

When the vehicle was turning right, upon entering the intersection, it detected a person in the intersection and stopped. Then, after the operator confirmed conditions were safe, the operator started the vehicle, moving again towards the intersection. The operator checked the situation around the intersection and manually started to decelerate. The vehicle’s sensor detected a pedestrian coming towards the intersection and activated the automatic brakes. The operator also applied the emergency brakes. However, a collision occurred with the vehicle and the pedestrian before the vehicle managed to come to a complete stop.

The Infrastructure Including Guides

At the time of the collision, there were only two guide persons at the intersection. Given that there were no traffic signals, and especially in a situation like the Paralympics where there are a diverse range of people, it was not possible for guide persons to check the movements of all pedestrians and vehicles moving in multiple directions. In addition, there was not a sufficient mechanism for coordination between guides and vehicle operators.

As a result, the pedestrian entering the intersection came into contact with the vehicle.

Source