Abstract
Walking is the most affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly method of transportation. However, the risk of pedestrian injury or death from motor vehicle crashes is significant, particularly in sprawling metropolitan areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pedestrian crossing flags (PCFs) on driver yielding behaviors. Participants crossed a marked, midblock crosswalk on a multilane road in Las Vegas, Nevada, with and without PCFs, to determine if there were differences in driver yielding behaviors (n = 160 crossings). Trained observers recorded (1) the number of vehicles that passed in the nearest lane without yielding while the pedestrian waited at the curb and (2) the number of vehicles that passed through the crosswalk while the pedestrian was in the same half of the roadway. ANOVA revealed that drivers were significantly less likely to pass through the crosswalk with the pedestrian in the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 0.20; M = 0.06); drivers were more likely to yield to the pedestrian waiting to enter the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 1.38; M = 0.95). Pedestrian crossing flags are a low-tech, low-cost intervention that may improve pedestrian safety at marked mid-block crosswalks. Future research should examine driver fade-out effects and more advanced pedestrian safety alternatives.
Highlights
While active transportation is experiencing a renaissance in the United States (USA), only 3–4% of commuters currently report walking or biking to work [1]
In 2017, the National Center for Health Statistics reported 5977 traffic related pedestrian deaths in the USA, the equivalent of one pedestrian killed by injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision every hour and a half [3]
Trained observers recorded (1) whether or not the pedestrian was carrying a pedestrian crossing flags (PCFs), (2) the number of vehicles that passed in the nearest lane before yielding while the pedestrian waited at the curb ready to enter the roadway, and (3) the number of vehicles that continued in the closest adjacent lane on the same half of the roadway once the pedestrian entered the crosswalk
Summary
While active transportation is experiencing a renaissance in the United States (USA), only 3–4% of commuters currently report walking or biking to work [1]. Walking and bicycling for transportation can decrease American’s dependency on motor vehicles and increase physical activity levels; the built environment and driver and pedestrian behaviors must support these practices. Driver yielding behaviors are influenced by a variety of factors [6]. Drivers are more likely to yield to groups of pedestrians than to individuals [7,8]. Personality and upbringing may be additional factors in yielding likelihood, based on an individual desire to be courteous and/or polite [6]
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