Pedestrian Safety in Sweden

"...The main result was that crossing at intersections where there is zebra marking seems to result in higher risk for an individual pedestrian than crossing at other intersections. It was also shown that signalized intersections do not provide a safe crossing situation for pedestrians...

...The general explanation to these remarkable results was that pedestrians experience a false feeling of safety when protected by zebra marking or signalization. Another way of expressing it could be that pedestrians cross more carefully when no help is provided...

...The conclusion from most recent research is that there is a need to guarantee either completeseparation between pedestrians and vehicular traffic, or create good conditions for properinteraction between the pedestrian and the driver... " [more]

Swedish Shared Space scheme wins national ‘Beautiful Road Prize 2004’

No accidents after road conversion

Norrköpping is a medium size town of some 125,000 inhabitants just south of Stockholm.
Skvallertorget (Gossip Square) is a square in the town centre that five roads lead to.
Used by some 13,500 vehicles, many cyclists and at peak moments as many as 1700 pedestrians a day, it is a busy square...

...The idea was to turn the square once again into a place in which it would be altogether nice to be.
Zebra crossings and superfluous traffic signs were removed and a spacious fountain, nice benches and other street furniture were installed instead.
Those efforts were not without results; since the redevelopment there have been no accidents, mean traffic speeds of 16 to 21 kilometres per hour, road users have become quite satisfied and road safety and liveability increased.