Abstract
A synthesis of practice was done to come up with a best design of crosswalks used by children. The analysis is based on studies from three sites in Sweden and three in Israel, research results concerning ideal interactions, and a review of additional countermeasures as described in the literature. Our presumption is that actual vehicle speeds should be below 20 km/h where children (aged 7 to 12 years) are crossing a street, especially if they are walking unaccompanied by an adult. The results of field studies show that a best design to reach this should include a speed-reducing device located before the crosswalk. The optimal distance from such a device to the crosswalk is about 10 m if the speed limit is 30 km/h or lower. For streets with 50 km/h speed limits, a longer distance of 15 to 20 m is needed and, as a complimentary measure, the crosswalk itself should also be elevated. At approaches with two lanes or more, multiple-threat conflicts occur due to vehicles overtaking stopped ones in the adjacent lane. These conflicts are a threat especially to children, as they often are hidden behind the stopped vehicle if it has stopped too close to the crosswalk. To provide a stronger message for alerting drivers to stop and to stop early, and not to overtake a stopped car in an adjacent lane, advanced yield bars or stop lines are needed. For those, a distance to the crosswalk of about 10 m is recommended. To secure travel speeds below 20 km/h, additional measures like camera enforcement of speeds near the crosswalk might be needed. Within a few years, ITS technology may govern speeds at marked crosswalks, and speed-reducing measures will be less needed at that time. However, for the foreseeable future, older vehicles lacking such technology will still be allowed on streets and even in newer vehicles, speed-control systems may be voluntary and possible to switch off. Therefore, we believe that investments into the measures discussed in this paper will have a role to play for decades to come.
Highlights
Within a few years, ITS technology may govern speeds at marked crosswalks, and speed-reducing measures will be less needed at that time
All infrastructure solutions were effective in reducing vehicle speeds at the crosswalk area and in attaining higher rates of drivers of motor vehicles giving way to pedestrians
Stronger safetyrelated effects were observed at the sites with higher speed humps and when speed cushions were set at a longer distance from the crosswalk
Summary
Design of crosswalks for childrenA synthesis of best practicePage 42 of 54 ToTS Volume 9, Issue 1: pg41–pg estimating direction, speed and distance (Piaget 1969, von Hofsten, 1980 and 1983 (both presented in Arnold & Bennett, 1990), Leden, 1989, Connely et al, 1998, Foot et al, 1999, Mac Gregor et al, 1999). Morrongiello et al (2015) used a virtual environment to examine how two groups of children, aged eight and 10 years, cross streets, and especially the effect of vehicle speed, distance and intervehicle gaps. They found that children use distance cues in deciding when to cross in a dysfunctional way which increases their injury risk. They concluded that there are no clear age or sex differences in behavior among children, at least not for those below age 12. The results support our study design focusing on all children between the ages of 7 and 12
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