Evaluating interventions for phone distracted pedestrians in a virtual reality environment

Abstract

Pedestrian safety is a significant concern for transportation professionals, especially the risky behaviour of pedestrians using mobile phones, such as entering a road crossing illegally or entering the crossing with a delay. While several investigations have highlighted the significance of mobile phone distraction while walking and interventions developed to mitigate this risk, the effectiveness of such interventions remains unaddressed. This research, therefore, investigated the effects of two distraction warning strategies, in-ground flashing lights and phone app, in a simulator-based virtual reality environment (N = 26). The study was conducted with a repeated measure design where participants participated in three scenarios (two with interventions and one without) while conducting a visually distractive task on a mobile phone. Twelve road intersections in the Brisbane CBD (Australia) were replicated and equipped with in-ground flashing lights or a phone app where the mobile phone screen edge colour changes based on traffic light signalling. A control condition of no intervention was also used. Each intervention was assessed to be beneficial based on reaction time and behaviour. Results showed the reaction time while using in-ground flashing lights as an intervention to be shorter compared to the mobile phone app and the control condition. The impact of in-ground flashing lights is greater in reducing the number of intersections where pedestrians do not comply with traffic signals and undetected green cycles compared to the mobile app. However, in considering traffic lights status checks and gaze toward traffic before crossing, in the mobile phone app condition participants checked traffic lights and road traffic before crossing in more intersections than with in-ground flashing lights. This study has shown that both intervention techniques can be suitable to improve pedestrian awareness at intersections when distracted by a mobile phone. In an environment where reducing the use of mobiles is unlikely, these interventions could be implemented to decrease risky behaviours and should therefore improve pedestrians’ safety. Finally, this research highlighted that in-ground flashing lights could be an effective option to implement in the real-world and inform policymakers of the most effective intervention to implement and contribute to the development of evidence-based policies.