Assessment of the Influence of Road Infrastructure Parameters on the Behaviour of Drivers and Pedestrians in Pedestrian Crossing Areas

Marcin Budzynski,Lukasz Jelinski,Piotr Tomczuk,Anna Gobis,Mariusz Kiec,Lucyna Guminska

doi:10.3390/en14123559

Abstract

Pedestrians are participants and, most likely, fatalities in every third road traffic accident in Poland. Over 30% of all fatalities on Polish roads are pedestrians. Accidents with pedestrians are very often the result of various factors related to the infrastructure and behaviour of pedestrians and drivers. The objective of the work was to assess driver and pedestrian behaviour in pedestrian crossing areas. The research also served as a pilot study for similar work to be conducted across Poland, and constituted the basis for monitoring the behaviour of road users in the area of pedestrian crossings. Parameters which must be analysed were identified on the basis of field studies. Principles of selecting test sites were adopted, and measurement methods for pedestrian crossing areas are presented. The influence of the location of the selected test cross-section infrastructure parameters on the behaviour of road users in pedestrian crossing areas is demonstrated. The results of the study will be used as a basis for new solutions involving pedestrian crossing infrastructure designed to improve pedestrian safety. The results were also used in formulating new regulations for the design and maintenance of pedestrian crossings and recommendations for road safety auditors.

Highlights

Pedestrians are among the groups of traffic participants who are very often deprecated by motorised participants, albeit a very important one in road traffic
Road infrastructure-related factors that have an effect on pedestrian safety include the cross-section [15] and the width and length of pedestrian crossing, how far it is from an intersection, road section geometry
The result recorded in situation C is reason for serious concern: as many as 30% of drivers drive through a crossing, despite the fact that a pedestrian is already on the roadway. Such a behaviour of drivers leads to the negative statistics indicated in the first part of the article. It follows from the review of Polish and international research performed to date that it is necessary to carry out studies on the behaviour of pedestrians and drivers in pedestrian crossing areas in order to plan, design and implement solutions to improve pedestrian safety

Summary

Introduction

Pedestrians are among the groups of traffic participants who are very often deprecated by motorised participants, albeit a very important one in road traffic. The factors which involve the behaviour of road infrastructure users include vehicle speeds and the degree to which they are exceeded, pedestrian speed, crossing the road illegally and how drivers behave towards pedestrians (giving way at pedestrian crossings) [8,9,10]. These factors will vary depending on traffic and pedestrian volumes and the pedestrian crossing location (built-up area, non-built-up area, road class and cross-section, intersections and midblock) [11,12,13,14]. Road infrastructure-related factors that have an effect on pedestrian safety include the cross-section [15] and the width and length of pedestrian crossing, how far it is from an intersection, road section geometry

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Methods

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Conclusion