Crosswalk Research Articles

USER PERCEPTIONS BASED LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR UNCONTROLLED MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS USING TRAFFIC SURVEYS AND ITS REGRESSION ANALYSIS

The exponential growth of urban populations has led to a substantial increase in traffic on urban roads, prompting extensive research into optimizing road networks for vehicular traffic. However, there has been a noticeable lack of attention given to the safety and well-being of pedestrians. One particularly perilous scenario for pedestrians occurs at mid-block crossing locations where well-designed crosswalks are absent. In such areas, pedestrians are forced to identify safe crossing points, often with limited safety measures in place. Ensuring the safety, convenience, comfort, and minimal delay for pedestrians in these situations is imperative. To address this gap, a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of service at mid-block crosswalks is necessary. This research study focused on assessing the quality of service at non-signalized mid-block pedestrian crossings from the perspective of consumers. The analysis employed regression techniques and gathered data from four distinct mid-block crossing locations in different areas of Visakhapatnam. Data collection involved video image surveillance to obtain data on pedestrian quantities, volume-based characteristics, walking speeds, capacity, and gap sizes, complemented by questionnaires to capture real-time experiences and opinions of pedestrians. The questionnaire encompassed various variables affecting crossing quality, including demographic information and pedestrian perceptions of safety and comfort. Pedestrians rated these attributes on a scale of one to six, with their scores serving as variables for subsequent analysis. This approach seeks to ensure that pedestrians have the safest, most comfortable, and efficient means to cross the street while minimizing potential delays. Keywords:Pedestrian safety,Mid-block crossing,Quality of service,Urban road traffic,Crosswalk design, Consumer perspective,Data collection, ,Questionnaires,Perception,Safety measures,Comfort, Demographic information,,Efficiency,Delay mitigation,Regression analysis,Vehicular traffic optimization,Urbanization impact.

Analysis of pedestrian crossing behavior based on Centralized Unscented Kalman Filter and pedestrian awareness based social force model

With the development of autonomous driving, ensuring pedestrian safety has become a hot research topic. The traditional pedestrian crossing behavior research mostly track and predict pedestrian crossing from the view of vehicles, but do not have in-depth research on the impact of other elements in the traffic scene. This paper proposes a method for analyzing pedestrian crossing behavior based on roadside equipment for specific road sections. First, a pedestrian awareness-based social force model (PASFM) is proposed by introducing the factors that influence pedestrian crossing decisions in traffic scenarios into the social force model (SFM), including zebra crossings, fellow walkers and vehicles. To explore the psychological state of vehicles and pedestrians when they interact, evolutionary game theory is used to simulate the psychological characteristics of pedestrians when they encounter vehicles, and then reflect in the changes of the desired speed. Then Centralized Unscented Kalman Filter (CUKF) is proposed to complete the whole process of tracking and predicting the motion state of pedestrian crossing behavior, which uses PASFM as its prediction process. Finally, simulations and experiments are designed to show the effectiveness of our methods. Results show that the proposed method performs better during pedestrian tracking and can predict their crossing behavior to a certain extent.

Factors affecting pedestrian injury severity in pedestrian-vehicle crashes: Insights from a data mining and mixed logit model approach

There has been a concerning rise in pedestrian fatalities resulting from traffic accidents. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the factors that contribute to the injury severity of pedestrians considering human, vehicle, roadway, and environmental characteristics of the crashes. A novel approach is proposed by combing a data mining technique and mixed logit models. First, the Apriori algorithm is employed to uncover patterns between fatal and incapacitating injury outcomes and their influencing factors. Then, mixed logit models are developed to investigate heterogeneity across all observations under two different lighting conditions. It is found that eight variables show heterogeneity affecting the injury severity of crash outcomes. Results also indicate that drivers older than 65 years old will increase the probability of pedestrian injury severity at dark-unlighted roads. Additionally, the present of signal and double yellow line has could increase the injury severity. Creating optimal lighting conditions at pedestrian crossings during nighttime hours and enhancing safety education initiatives for pedestrians are critical factors to improve pedestrian safety. The finding of this study will benefit policymakers and road safety professionals develop more effective strategies for preventing pedestrian injuries in vehicle crashes.

Combining SysML and Timed Coloured Petri Nets for Designing Smart City Applications

A smart city is an urban centre that integrates a variety of solutions to improve infrastructure performance and achieve sustainable urban development. Urban roads are a crucial infrastructure highly demanded by citizens and organisations interested in their deployment, performance, and safety. Urban traffic signal control is an important and challenging real-world problem that aims to monitor and improve traffic congestion. The deployment of traffic signals for vehicles or pedestrians at an intersection is a complex activity that changes constantly, so it is necessary to establish rules to control the flow of vehicles and pedestrians. Thus, this article describes the joint use of the SmartCitySysML, a profile proposed by the authors, with TCPN (Timed Coloured Petri Nets) to refine and formally model SysML diagrams specifying the internal behaviour, and then verify the developed model to prove behavioural properties of an urban traffic signal control system.

Development and validation of a video-based assessment tool for children's street-crossing safety

BackgroundThe alarming rate of child pedestrian fatalities highlights an urgent imperative for comprehensive test on children's street-crossing safety. Various methods in children's street-crossing studies were reviewed, and the advantages of the video-based experimental real-walk methods were introduced. AimThe present study aimed to develop a reliable assessment tool to evaluate children's crossing safety, assess its validity, and identify developmental characteristics of children's crossing abilities. MethodsWe recorded scenarios of vehicle-pedestrian interactions with varying distances and speeds at multiple suburban zebra crossings without traffic lights, and projected the videos to guide participants through a realistic crossing experience indoors. Sixty children, with 20 in each age group of 6, 8, and 11 years old (with equal numbers of boys and girls), were recruited. The children's crossing safety was measured using the dangerous crossing (DC), safe crossing rate (SCR) and time to contact (TTC), and they were also asked to complete the Chinese version of the Pedestrian Behavior Scale (CPBS). Their eye movements were also recorded with a portable eye tracker. ResultsThe correlation analysis of the simulated street-crossing video test revealed significant associations between behavioral indicators (DC, TTC), CPBS, and eye movement indicators, indicating strong empirical validity. Difficulty analysis confirmed the relatively high SCR among child pedestrians across all three age groups. Discriminant validity analysis demonstrated that age significantly predicted children's crossing safety, with 6-year-olds exhibiting lower safety in both behavioral and attentional dimensions compared to 8-year-olds and 11-year-olds. Finally, predictive validity results indicated varying effects of TTC on CPBS scores across different age groups, with a more significant predictive effect for younger children possessing lower street-crossing abilities. ConclusionThe video test effectively verified the critical period and developmental trend of children's crossing ability and demonstrated high validity. Overall, the developed video test is an effective tool for assessing school-aged children's crossing safety.

Thermoplastic road markings – Description and microplastic pollution estimate in Sweden

Road markings were sometimes reported as meaningful contributors to microplastic pollution. To estimate their wear, 126 pedestrian crossings, which constitute the worst-case scenario because all passing vehicles encroach on them, were analysed for luminance loss as an indicator of complete abrasion. The assessment was done in Sweden, where thermoplastic road marking materials prevail – unique because they can be made with polymeric or non-polymeric binders. Average loss of marked surface was 19.1%; hence, after adjusting for lower abrasion at longitudinal lines, the annual contribution of road markings to microplastic pollution in Sweden should not exceed 60 t (assuming the exclusive use of non-polymeric binders) or up to 231 t (assuming all non-volatile organics being potential microplastics), corresponding to 5.7−‍22.0 g/person/year. The outcome of this study should be utilised by environmental scientists assigning sources of pollution and should be useful for regulators and road administrators to promote the most environmentally friendly road markings.

Factors Associated with Road Traffic Accidents in Kathmandu, Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a leading and disproportionately prevalent cause of mortality and disability, particularly burdening Nepal, primarily within the Kathmandu Valley.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March 22nd and April 24th, 2021, involving 185 victims admitted to the emergency department of a private hospital. Respondents were selected using purposive sampling, and data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Socio-demographic characteristics, human factors, and environmental factors data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and all statistical tests were conducted using SPSS version 20.
 Results: Among the 185 RTA victims, the majority (36.8%) fell within the 21-30 age groups. Male victims (55.7%) outnumbered females (44.3%). Students (36.8%) experienced the highest accident rates, with most incidents (21.1%) occurring on Saturdays and 38.4% taking place between 12:00pm and 6:00pm.
 Human Factors and RTA: Of the total victims, 80 (43.2%) were drivers, with 43.75% of them reporting the use of emergency brakes. Furthermore, 77.61% indicated that accidents were caused by pedestrians not using zebra crossings when crossing the road.
 Environmental Factors and RTA: Rainy weather was associated with the highest number of accidents, accounting for 36.2% of cases. Additionally, narrow routes (28.6%) and slippery roads (25.9%) contributed to a significant number of accidents.
 Conclusion: Nepal faces a high rate of road traffic accidents, with critical factors including victim age, vehicle types, speed, road and weather conditions, and traffic rule violations. Authorities must consider these factors to effectively control and prevent RTAs.

Rollator related pedestrian single accidents and collision events in Sweden

Rollators (four-wheel walkers in USA; zimmer frames in UK) are commonly used as mobility aids for the elderly and people with a variety of disabilities. Pedestrian rollator users are a sub-group of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), although this group is rarely recognised in traffic safety contexts. The aim of this study is to extract and analyse rollator related pedestrian accident and injury data in Sweden. The results will provide valuable insight into the risks and obstacles rollator users are exposed to in the traffic environment and may in the long term contribute to improving the mobility of this group. The current study is based on data from 2,020 accidents involving 2,305 persons extracted from the Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition (STRADA) database. For consistency reasons, a subset of data (N = 745) was analysed in order to investigate the development of accidents over a period of 10 years. Thereafter, each accident in the whole data set was registered as either single or collision. The results show that the number of rollator accidents in Sweden increased by approximately 80% during 2007–2016. Females dominate the injury statistics of single accidents, collisions, as well as fatal outcome, which may be due to exposure and/or differences in physical characteristics. Single accidents are much more common than collisions (n=1,668 and n=352, respectively) and the injury consequences are at least as serious. Data from the present study have revealed that the frequency of minor injuries (ISS 1–3) is 4.3 times, moderate (ISS 4–8) 6.0 times and serious injuries (ISS 9–15) 8.9 times higher in single accidents than in collisions. Fatal injuries are, however, more common in collision events (33 in comparison to 8). The vast majority of single accidents (99%) was due to falls. Many of the single accidents (29%) were caused by ground level differences (typically a curb) or due to surface conditions (19%). Collisions involved cars, trucks or buses in 91% of cases, occurring predominantly in car parks (31%) and on (zebra) crossings (30%). In 54% of cases the vehicles reversed into the rollator. Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 3+ injuries were dominated by head (36%) and torso (33%) injuries in collision events, and hip fractures (71%) in single accidents. The present study shows that further research into rollator user related accidents, both single accidents and collision events, is required. In order to introduce appropriate measures, future work should follow up on accident and injury developments and further improve the quality of mobility aid related accident data in general. Improved stability and design, proper training programmes, effective maintenance services, development of a supporting infrastructure would contribute to increased safety for rollator users.

Otomatik sürüş için derin öğrenme metodu kullanarak trafik işaretlerinin tespiti

Deep learning practices used in many fields, in particular, in health, military, economy, and production industries, are an important area of artificial intelligence in our age. The object classification and object recognition applications, which play a significant role in the development of autonomous vehicle technologies, constitute the focal point of the deep learning studies. It is clear that the recent studies based on the deep learning models show that they are useful and successful performances for safe driving not only for vehicles but also for pedestrians. It is very crucial and significant that the autonomous systems recognize the traffic signs with high accuracy for a safe driving. Especially, the pedestrian crossing, school district, urban speed limits can be regarded among the most critical traffic signs. In this study, we have used the data set including the traffic signs obtained by our own means to carry out trainings by using faster R-CNN which is regarded as one of the most important recognition architectures. Thanks to the hardware module produced as a result of the operation, we have developed a system that warns the driver of the vehicle with audible warning. The developed hardware module can detect not only the speed limits, traffic signs but also pedestrian crossings and school districts and alert the driver in reel-time. The developed hardware module is based on Arduino and because of the GPS sensor, it can also show the speed of the vehicle. Moreover, we have used Python for the developed software and the dataset trainings have been carried out by using the Tensorflow library. We think that the study will contribute a lot to the recognition of traffic signs for the autonomous vehicle applications.

LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FACILITIES AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS UNDER HETEROGENEOUS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

While designing roadway facilities the pedestrian crosswalks must be given high importance, because these are the locations where pedestrians interact with vehicular traffic directly. This study aims to determine Pedestrian Perception values (PV) and assess the Level of Service (LOS) for crosswalk facilities provided for pedestrians at signalized intersections in heterogeneous traffic conditions. For this purpose, 24 crosswalks of six signalized intersections were chosen: 16 crosswalk locations were used for model development and eight crosswalk locations were used for model validation. The perception value of pedestrians was collected by conducting a questionnaire survey and traffic data was collected using a videographic survey. The parameters considered for the present study are: pedestrian volume, time is taken by the pedestrian to cross the crosswalk, length of crosswalk, pedestrian crossing speed, vehicular volume, and turning movements. The present research work proposed a mathematical model for Perception Value (PV) to assess the LOS of crosswalks of signalized intersections in urban areas. The results of the study are helpful in enhancing pedestrian safety and comfort at crosswalks.

Energy harvesting floor using sustained-release regulation mechanism for self-powered traffic management

Energy harvesting from streets, squares, and other areas to supply power to equipment and systems in these environments is environmentally friendly and more convenient for functions requiring low power consumption. To harvest more pulsed mechanical energy and improve the quality of electrical output for immediate utilization, we propose a bidirectional energy harvesting floor with a sustained-release regulation mechanism (BEHF-SRM). The pulse and irregular excitation on the road can be converted into continuous unidirectional rotation of the working wheel and the reset motion of the system can also drive the work wheel unidirectional rotation, and the rotational kinetic energy is slowly converted into electrical energy. A dynamic model is established and validated experimentally. One person can easily light up 20 LED bulbs (rated power 1 W) by stepping on the prototype of BEHF-SRM. The prototype can continue to provide electricity for about 7 s after stepping on it. Self-powered automated pedestrian crosswalk warnings that can improve pedestrian safety was demonstrated based on BEHF-SRM. The results show that the proposed harvester has the potential to provide a sustainable, convenient, green, and zero carbon energy supply to smart transport and smart cities.

LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FACILITIES AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS UNDER HETEROGENEOUS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

While designing roadway facilities the pedestrian crosswalks must be given high importance, because these are the locations where pedestrians interact with vehicular traffic directly. This study aims to determine Pedestrian Perception values (PV) and assess the Level of Service (LOS) for crosswalk facilities provided for pedestrians at signalized intersections in heterogeneous traffic conditions. For this purpose, 24 crosswalks of six signalized intersections were chosen: 16 crosswalk locations were used for model development and eight crosswalk locations were used for model validation. The perception value of pedestrians was collected by conducting a questionnaire survey and traffic data was collected using a videographic survey. The parameters considered for the present study are: pedestrian volume, time is taken by the pedestrian to cross the crosswalk, length of crosswalk, pedestrian crossing speed, vehicular volume, and turning movements. The present research work proposed a mathematical model for Perception Value (PV) to assess the LOS of crosswalks of signalized intersections in urban areas. The results of the study are helpful in enhancing pedestrian safety and comfort at crosswalks.

Improving Pedestrian Progression at Multistage Crossings Using Pedestrian–Left Turn Overlaps

At signalized intersections where pedestrian crossings are divided into two stages by using a median island, pedestrian delay can be very long if the partial-crossing phases have poor progression. One technique for reducing pedestrian delay is pedestrian–left turn overlaps, in which half-crossings that are not in conflict with a left turn are allowed to run during the left turn phase as well as during the parallel vehicle through phase. Such an overlap can enable some pedestrians to cross in a single pass, or to have a far shorter wait at the median. Because this technique requires surrendering some of the flexibility with which left turn phases normally operate—in phases with a pedestrian call, the left turn phase cannot be skipped and may require a longer minimum green—there can also be an impact on vehicle delay. A case study of two intersections in Brookline, MA found that, compared with the current timing plan, using pedestrian–left turn overlaps could reduce pedestrian delay from about 100 to 35 s, with a negligible impact on vehicle delay. A methodological innovation introduced in this study was that average pedestrian delay was calculated for three pedestrian speeds and averaged together, thus accounting for how pedestrian delay at multistage crossings can be far lower for faster pedestrians who may be able to cross in a single pass than for slower pedestrians who have to wait at the crossing island.

Impact of Covid-19 on pedestrian safety

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyday life in many areas, including transport. As a result of the reduction in traffic and epidemic measures, the number of traffic accidents and the number of people injured in accidents have decreased worldwide. However, the available research results are mainly limited to the investigation of the number of accidents and injuries. The aim of our research was to determine the impact of Covid-19 on pedestrian accidents, focusing also on the characteristics of injured pedestrians, and the willingness of drivers to give priority to pedestrians. We performed a multi-aspect analysis and used statistical methods to examine the characteristics of pedestrian accidents and injured pedestrians in Budapest between 2018 and 2021, and the changes caused by the epidemic. During the analysis of the accidents, we also created maps using the Kernel Density Function based on the severity index of the accident outcome. Pedestrian and driver behaviour were assessed based on the rates of giving the priority to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings, using the results of our own measurements before and during the Covid-19 period. As the main result of our research, we found that although the epidemic and related measures reduced the number of pedestrian accidents, there was no significant change in accident characteristics. In the case of injured pedestrians, we showed a significant change in the reduction of injuries between the ages of 0 and 18 and in case of the injuries of foreign citizens. In addition, we found that the willingness to give priority for pedestrians was negatively affected by the period of Covid-19.

Investigating mid-block pedestrian crossing behaviour and safety at urban streets in Cairo.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users in the transportation system. Understanding pedestrian behaviour and road safety culture is critical for improving traffic safety in developing countries. The primary goal of this 2-fold study is to provide an investigation of pedestrian behaviour in Egypt, a developing country. The first part of this study validated the applying of Pedestrian Behaviour Scale (PBS) to investigate pedestrian behaviour in Egypt. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was applied to 533 participants to assess the pedestrian's behavioural factors based on four validated categories: transgressions, lapses, aggressive and positive behaviours. The second part investigated pedestrian crossing behaviour at five different mid-block locations using video recordings. Then, logistic regression models were conducted to investigate pedestrian crossing safety. Males reported more aggressive behaviour than females. Pedestrians previously involved in a collision committed more transgressions and lapses. The presence of forced pedestrian crossing facilities, such as raised pedestrian crossings or traffic signals, significantly reduced the number of unsafe crossings when compared to uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. The aforementioned findings can be used by policymakers to improve road safety programs, create effective traffic safety campaigns, and enact appropriate laws, which could reduce the number of pedestrian-related crashes.

O1B1-02 Examination of the Effect of Pedestrian Crossings Focusing on the Distance and Positional Relationship from the Accident Site

O1B1-02 Examination of the Effect of Pedestrian Crossings Focusing on the Distance and Positional Relationship from the Accident Site

Improving the safety of pedestrian crossings based on the illumination degree assessment in the Central district of Chita city

The road accidents statistics proves that the main road accidents type in Russia is a collision with a pedestrian, the situation is similar in the Transbaikal Territory (44.9 %). In the darkness hours sharply increases the road traffic danger. Despite the fact that the intensity of traffic during this period is 5–10 times lower than in daylight hours, the road accidents share is 40–60 % of their total number. Therefore, the illumination degree assessment at unregulated pedestrian crossings for the subsequent recommendations development to improve its safety is an urgent problem today. For the first time we have conducted extensive instrumental research to measure the illumination level of different outdoor lighting devices types at pedestrian crossings in the Central District of the Chita city. Five streets and highways of the Chita’s Central District (Lenina St., Leningradskaya St., Butina St., Chkalova St., Babushkina St.) were studied. Measurements were carried out at 75 intersections and 450 points of illumination were measured. Measurements were carried out during 3 months of 2022. The experimental studies results on measuring the illumination degree at night on city streets are averaged and presented in tabular form. Obtained experimental data comparison with the normative values according to GOST R 55706-2013 is given. The rating of streets with division for non-dangerous with the received value over 20 lux, low-dangerous with the received value from 10 to 20 lux, dangerous with the received value more than 20 lux is made. The illumination level map of the street-road network of the central district of Chita city is constructed. Recommendations on improvement of pedestrian crossings safety for inhabitants of Chita city are given.

Auckland Transport’s Mass Action Pedestrian Improvement Programme

Auckland's road safety performance deteriorated significantly with death and serious injury crashes increasing by more than 70% between 2014-2017 compared to the previous five years. A fifth of all pedestrian related crashes in Auckland occurred at existing zebra crossings. In response, the Mass Action Pedestrian Improvement Programme (MAPI) delivered 37 upgrades of existing at grade crossings to raised zebra crossings over 2018/19 financial year and since this time, Auckland Transport have upgraded more than 100 crossings across the network. This paper discusses the research and evaluation that were undertaken to inform the design and implementation of MAPI and to determine safety outcomes and impacts. Key learnings from the programme and the challenge of balancing safety benefits, community acceptance, and the efficient operation of the network, are discussed.

Modelling the utilization rates of pedestrian crosswalks

A zebra crossing is a form of pedestrian crossing provision point on roads that have significant volumes of traffic. It is one of the safety measures employed to reduce avoidable pedestrian-motorist conflicts and accidents on such roads. In the past several studies have been conducted on the behaviours of road users (pedestrians and motorists) especially on non-signal intersections. Although, various recommendations and solutions have been proffered to the many road-crossing challenges. But there has been little to no change in pedestrians’ perceptions and preferences of zebra crossing. Contemporary researches have tried to rectify this by applying several models to rate the use of pedestrian zebra crossing. This study uses a Regression Model Techniques to analyse factors influencing utilization rate of pedestrian zebra crossing. In this study, 450 samples were collected from 12 locations, covering school, public building, residential and business areas to examine the utilization rate of the zebra crossing by pedestrians. To examine the significance level on the crossing utilization rates by pedestrian at 95% confidence interval, a pedestrian utilization rate (PUR) was acting as the dependent variable and the remaining variables served as the independent variables. The Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model was also used to determine the utilization rate needed to develop the zebra crossing utilization model. From the findings, the calibrated R2 value was discovered to be at 0.937 and the descriptive statistics of MLR test, t and p-values, were also found within an acceptable range. The result also showed that, out of all the variables which were used, only three have a significant effect on the utilization rates of pedestrian zebra crossing while the remaining variables have an insignificant effect. The study concluded that among the different variables, Guardrail, number of lanes and Width of zebra crossing were the most influential variables. It is believed that the conclusions drawn from this research are expected to be useful to improve the state of pedestrian facilities in Malaysia.

Midblock Pedestrian Signal Safety Effectiveness

The midblock pedestrian signal (MPS) operates as a coordinated actuated vehicular traffic signal that enables pedestrians to cross at midblock. The MPS has been used in multiple locations, including for more than 40 years in Los Angeles. It differs from a typical pedestrian crossing signal by allowing the red display for vehicular traffic to flash at the same time as the pedestrian timing for the crossing, reducing delay to vehicular traffic. The research team built a database of crash and roadway characteristics data for treated and control sites located in three states (California, Utah, and Texas). Three control groups were considered: all control sites (included intersections with two, three, or four legs and traffic control signals); two-leg sites with any type of pedestrian traffic control other than the MPS; and two-leg sites with nonactive or not present pedestrian traffic control devices. It was found that the MPS is associated with a reduction in the number of crashes involving pedestrians and a reduction in the number of all fatal and injury crashes when the control group is two-leg sites with nonactive or not present pedestrian traffic control devices. The following crash modification factors for the MPS were identified: 0.554 for crashes involving pedestrians; and 0.660 for all crashes.