A spatial analysis of built environment determinants influencing pedestrian fatalities in Bangkok, Thailand

This research investigates the spatial associations between built-environment characteristics, transport infrastructure and pedestrian fatalities in Bangkok, Thailand with the aim of informing urban transitions toward more sustainable mobility systems. Using spatial and statistical techniques, including Global Moran’s I and multiple regression models, the research examines how pedestrian fatality patterns relate to road infrastructure, land-use configurations, pedestrian facilities and prevailing traffic conditions across different spatial contexts. The analysis identifies distinct contextual patterns that vary in terms of development intensity, land-use diversity and the provision of transport and pedestrian infrastructure. Results indicate that the relative importance of urban and transportation characteristics differs by spatial context. In some areas, pedestrian fatalities are more closely associated with urban form, while in others, both urban and transportation factors appear to be interconnected. In contexts with higher infrastructure density, transportation characteristics show a stronger association with fatality patterns. However, pedestrian fatalities are extremely rare at the grid level, the explanatory power of the regression models is limited and the spatial distribution of fatalities does not exhibit strong clustering. While built-environment characteristics reveal identifiable spatial groupings through cluster analysis, the results should be interpreted as reflecting relative contextual variation rather than definitive causal relationships or precise at-risk locations. Accordingly, the findings are appropriately used as supplementary evidence to inform local policy directions and context-sensitive planning strategies.