Pedestrian Safety Research Articles

Pedestrians' safety using projected time-to-collision to electric scooters

Safety concern among electric scooter riders drives them onto sidewalks, endangering pedestrians and making them uncomfortable. Regulators’ solutions are inconsistent and conflicting worldwide. Widely accepted pedestrian safety metrics may lead to converging solutions. Adapting the time-to-collision from car traffic safety, we define projected time-to-collision and experimentally study pedestrians’ objective and subjective safety. We design isolated and crowd experiments using e-scooter-to-pedestrian interactions to assess the impact of various factors on objective safety. In addition, we conducted a pedestrian survey to relate the subjective safety and the metric. We report a strong correlation between subjective safety and the projected time-to-collision when agents face each other and no relation when the e-scooter overtakes a pedestrian. As a near-miss metric correlated with pedestrian comfort, projected time-to-collision is implementable in policy-making, urban architecture, and e-scooter design to enhance pedestrian safety.

Interactions and Behaviors of Pedestrians with Autonomous Vehicles: A Synthesis

Integrating autonomous vehicles (AVs) into public roads presents profound implications for pedestrian safety and the broader acceptance of this emerging technology. This work examines the complex interactions between AVs and pedestrians, a dynamic influenced by the variability of pedestrian behaviors and the absence of traditional communication mechanisms, such as eye contact and gestures, commonly relied upon in human-driven scenarios. Given the nascent stage of AV deployment, this research addresses the challenges of evaluating AV−pedestrian interactions amid safety concerns and technological limitations. We review and synthesize global research on pedestrian behavior in the context of AV technology to track changes in pedestrians’ acceptance over time and identify the factors driving these shifts. Additionally, this review incorporates insights from transportation authorities to highlight potential safety issues and the need for innovative communication strategies that ensure safe interactions between pedestrians and AVs. By analyzing these factors, the research aims to contribute to the development of guidelines and communication protocols that enhance pedestrian safety and facilitate the integration of AVs into urban environments.

Impact of urban form and street infrastructure on pedestrian-motorist collisions

This study examines the impact of urban form and street infrastructure on pedestrian safety in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boston, Massachusetts. With a significant rise in pedestrian fatalities over the past decade, understanding how cities’ built environments influence safety is critical. We conducted geospatial analyses and statistical tests, revealing unique patterns in each city. Atlanta’s sprawling, motorist-oriented layout is associated with increased pedestrian accidents, particularly at crosswalks, due to limited land use diversity, arterial roads, and streets with high speed limits and multiple lanes. In contrast, Boston’s compact, pedestrian-oriented design leads to improved safety, featuring safer pedestrian crossings, greater land use diversity, reduced arterial roads and lower speed limits on single-lane streets. This study also highlights the importance of diverse urban forms and pedestrian infrastructure in shaping pedestrian safety. While population density and land use diversity impact accident rates, the presence of crosswalks and street configurations play crucial roles. Our findings underscore the urgency for urban planners to prioritize pedestrian safety through targeted interventions, such as enhancing crosswalks, reducing speed limits and promoting mixed land use. Future research should explore additional variables, alternative modelling techniques and non-linear approaches to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these complex relationships.

Influence of Driver Eye Height and Obstacle Height on Sight Distance

Abstract Road traffic safety is a series of methods and measures aimed to reducing the risk of injury for road users. Road accidents are events that have an extremely strong socio-economic impact on society as a whole and directly on its members. The road is a basic component of the road safety system and is represented by the road and the area adjacent to it, which influences the flow of road traffic. Basically, the driver “reads” the road and based on that information adopts the behaviour, mainly speed. The road elements of the road and the homogeneity of these characteristics, visibility in curves, the layout of intersections, the uniformity and roughness of the road surface are only some of the essential elements of the traffic safety study at the design stage. But even on a very well-designed road, many accidents occur because of the other possible factors. The road elements characteristic of roads are the totality of the road components in plan view, elevation and cross section. In this case study, a section of road of technical class III was considered. The design speed of the road section studied is 80 km/h and the lane width is 3.50 m, according to the technical standards in force. The study was carried out for design speeds of 80 km/h and 60 km/h respectively, the height of the eyes will be considered as 1.00 m, 1.10 m, 1.20 m and 1.30 m, and for the height of the obstacle will have variable height, more precisely, for the speed of 80 km/h the heights will be 0.20 m, 0.40 m, 0.60 m, 0.80 m, 1.00 m, and for the speed of 60 km/h, they will be 0.00 m, 0.10 m, 0.20 m.

Unveiling Urban Vulnerabilities: Analysis of Pedestrian Safety and Experience at 2 No Gate, A Major Arterial Road in Chittagong, Bangladesh

In developing countries such as Bangladesh, pedestrian safety is a pressing concern due to inadequate infrastructureand increased vehicular traffic resulting in frequent conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles in urban areas.Chittagong is the second-largest city in Bangladesh where, in addition to road accidents, pedestrians also encounterchallenges due to the prevalent issue of water clogging caused by the inadequate drainage system. The study aims toanalyze the experience and the multifaceted risks faced by pedestrians in Chittagong which include road safetyconcerns as well as the threats during monsoon seasons. The research gathers data leading to twofold investigationson 2-no. gate area, based on the physical infrastructure and the road users’ behavior using human perception analysis,an in-depth questionnaire survey, and examining the previously occurring accidents. Analyzing the data, the paper hasattempted to shed light on the major causes and factors of pedestrian accidents in the area and suggested appropriateguidelines to reduce accidents and enhance pedestrian movement facilities in similar scenarios.

FAULT TREE METHOD AS A DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR ASSESSING THE RISKS OF TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS LOADS

Improving road traffic safety on the one hand and increasing the transport of dangerous goods on the other requires searching for methods and tools for risk assessment at various levels of transport of this type of cargo. This is directly related to the disruption of the safety and efficiency of road transport systems around transporting dangerous goods. In this respect, risk assessment and its estimation method are a significant issue. The article analyzes the risk resulting from the transport of dangerous goods. Threats occurring during the organization and execution of the transport of dangerous goods were identified and risk assessment studies were carried out using the FTA method (fault tree method). The purpose of using the FTA method was to develop and graphically illustrate a set of factors that cause adverse events in the transport of dangerous goods. TopEvent FTA computer software was used to verify the proposed approach, which is used both to construct error trees and to identify and correct irregularities in existing trees.

Parklets As Public Space

The unpredictable increase in the number of motor vehicles and the population due to changes in the urban structure hasrevealed the need for new public areas, recreation and social contact points for pedestrians, especially in city centers.Parklet designs, can be installed modularly on the one or more car parking area, are carried out in order to calm traffic, toensure pedestrian safety, and to create public spaces. For this purpose, within the scope of the study, public space and the process of change are revealed, and parklets designed with urban equipment elements (street furniture) to meet various public needs, especially in city centers, are examined through examples from our country (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality example) and the world. As a result, parklet designs, which are designed in a modular structure and allow alternative designs in different regions, include innovative approaches to publicity for Istanbul and all our other cities.

Two minus one road equals improved quality of life

BackgroundSundbyberg municipality (part of greater Stockholm) has reconstructed a traditional two-lane road, with an allowed speed limit of 30 km/h, into a road with one car lane and two bicycle lanes, one on either side of the car lane (a “two minus one road”). The aim was to increase traffic safety and accessibility, especially for bicyclists and pedestrians MethodThe design used was a before- an after-study including both subjective and objective measures. To collect subjective data a survey measuring quality of life was used by asking residents and travellers how they experienced the road and their neighbourhood. The collection of objective data was done with the help of video cameras recording traffic conflicts, vehicle speed and position on the road ResultsThe reconstruction of the road had positive effects on quality of life in general, specifically safety, security, and accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians. Something which was achieved without reducing car drivers’ experience of accessibility. Subsequent analyses were conducted to increase the understanding of different ‘sub-groups’. Specifically, analyses assessed: if responses could be linked to modal choice; whether the reconstruction of the road resulted in a modal shift; and whether it was any differences between respondents who had or had not a child attending any of the local schools. Overall, the responses from the ‘sub-groups’ were not significantly different from each other (except for respondents with children). The video analyses on traffic safety showed no differences in conflicts before and after the reconstruction. The only negative result was that car drivers’ speed increased by 3 km/h ConclusionThe reconstruction of roads with a traffic intensity, equivalent to the selected road is suitable for a two minus one road. Traffic safety, security, and accessibility will increase, but not at the expense of car drivers’ accessibility.

The Current State of Research on Driving Anger

Driving anger is a significant factor in causing traffic accidents and poses a severe threat to road safety. This paper reviews the research progress on driving anger over the past decade, including its definition, research methodologies, influencing factors, and intervention measures. The literature indicates that (1) questionnaires, driving simulators, video recordings, and behavioral diaries are commonly used research methods. (2) The factors influencing driving anger include demographic elements (such as age, gender, alcohol consumption), personality traits (such as anger trait, sensation seeking), and environmental factors (such as road characteristics, life events). (3) To address driving anger, researchers have proposed various intervention measures, including relaxation training, group cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness training, and driver re-education programs. These interventions have been somewhat effective in reducing driving anger and aggressive driving behaviors. Future research could further explore the cognitive processes of driving anger and its impact on driving behavior to develop more effective intervention strategies, thereby enhancing road traffic safety.

How does street environment affect pedestrian crash risks? A link-level analysis using street view image-based pedestrian exposure measurement

Street space plays a critical role in pedestrian safety, but the influence of fine-scale street environment features has not been sufficiently understood. To analyze the effect of the street environment at the link level, it is essential to account for the spatial variation of pedestrian exposure across street links, which is challenging due to the lack of detailed pedestrian flow data. To address these issues, this study proposes to extract link-level pedestrian exposure from spatially ubiquitous street view images (SVIs) and investigate the impact of fine-scale street environment on pedestrian crash risks, with a particular focus on pedestrian facilities (e.g., crossing and sidewalk design). Both crash frequency and severity are analyzed at the link level, with the latter incorporating two distinct aggregation metrics: maximum severity and medium severity. Using Hong Kong as a case study, the results show that the link-level pedestrian exposure extracted from SVIs can lead to better model fit than alternative zone-level measurements. Specifically, higher pedestrian exposure is found to increase the total pedestrian crash frequency, while reducing the risk of serious injuries or fatalities, confirming the “safety in numbers” effect for pedestrians. Pedestrian facilities are also shown to influence pedestrian crash frequency and severity in different ways. The presence of crosswalks can increase crash frequency, but denser crosswalk design mitigates this effect. In addition, two-side sidewalks can increase crash frequency, while the absence of sidewalks leads to higher risks of crash severity. These findings highlight the importance of fine-scale street environment and pedestrian facility design for pedestrian safety.

Design and Implementation of Energy Harvesting and Pollution Control System using Nano Tree

In today's globalized society, energy consumption is a fundamental pillar of societal advancement and evolution. Street lighting applications consume a lot of electricity with the benefit of preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of pedestrians at night. The main considerations in the present field of technologies are automation, power consumption, and cost-effectiveness. Alongside, rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in an exponential increase in air pollution causing adverse effects on living beings and deterioration of fossil fuels. Hence, the use of regenerative sources of energy is crucial to facilitate the high power demand. The proposed system presents the development of a Nano tree using the Arduino board to collect renewable solar energy from the environment used for street light illumination by using sensors at minimum electrical energy consumption. The Nano tree can be used as an alternative to streetlights with the addition of LED strips along with an accumulation of gaseous pollutants. If the pollutant level exceeds the limit an alert will also be sent to the pollution control authority of the adjacent industry. The Nano Tree is the concept of an autonomous street light with atmospheric monitoring capability.

Spatial analysis of geographical disparities in pedestrian safety

Investigating pedestrian safety disparities across sociodemographic groups is essential for enhancing traffic safety. This study examines the impact of sociodemographic and built environment characteristics on pedestrian crashes. It introduces a comprehensive macro spatial analysis framework that includes a global regression model, spatial autoregressive models, and a local spatial regression model. Three measures of pedestrian injury are analyzed. The findings reveal that a higher percentage of the high-income population significantly correlates with lower rates of pedestrian injuries across all three measures. Conversely, a higher percentage of the low-income population shows a significant positive correlation with the proportion of crashes involving the Black population, and with the proportion of severe pedestrian crashes involving the Black population. Pedestrian-oriented network density is negatively associated with fatal or severely injurious crashes involving the Black population. These results emphasize the need to account for spatial variations and equity when addressing pedestrian safety disparities.

Automatic Zebra Crossing Using Raspberry PI

The Automatic Zebra Crossing project enhances pedestrian safety and convenience at zebra crossings using an Atmega8 microcontroller board, a time display, and Progisp software. The project features a pair of automatic gates positioned at both ends of the zebra crossing, closing whenever the traffic signal turns red to stop vehicles. This closure effectively restricts pedestrian movement beyond the zebra crossing area, ensuring enhanced safety. The system works like an automatic stairway, with the gates being opened or closed depending on the condition of the traffic signal. As the central control device, the Atmega8 microcontroller board processes inputs from the traffic signal and generates control signals to open and close the gates. The time display tells pedestrians how much time is left until they can cross in real time. The Atmega8 microcontroller is programmed using the Progisp software, allowing the construction of the control logic and synchronization with the traffic signal. The software enables the microcontroller to work seamlessly with the gate motors and the time display. The Automatic Zebra Crossing system dramatically improves pedestrian safety by keeping people inside the crossing area when the light is red. This system uses gates for straying, lowering accident rates, and optimizing traffic flow. The project documentation outlines the software implementation with Progisp and explains the hardware setup. This setup involves an Atmega8 microcontroller board, gate motors, and a time display. The code integrates a control logic for synchronization.Hardware Requirement:  Raspberry Pi- Pico  Mobile Wi-fi Module  Power Supply Unit  Motor Unit  Relay Unit  Software Requirement:  Python  PC  Web page

Optimization of Traffic Safety for Motorists with Raised Intersection Design at Intersection in DKI Jakarta

Urbanization trends, coupled with the proliferation of motor vehicles, have led to escalating environmental challenges like congestion and pollution. Sustainable transportation systems are increasingly imperative to address these issues, necessitating pedestrian-friendly urban environments to promote sustainable mobility. However, escalating traffic density poses serious safety concerns for pedestrians, exacerbated by improper use of pedestrian facilities. Statistical data underscores the vulnerability of pedestrians, with a notable percentage of traffic fatalities attributed to pedestrian accidents. To mitigate these risks, enhancing pedestrian safety through various measures, including raised crosswalks, has garnered attention. Raised crosswalks offer promising potential to improve pedestrian safety by influencing driver behavior and enhancing pedestrian visibility. This research aims to explore the impact of raised crosswalks on traffic safety in Indonesian urban environments. Through quantitative analysis and video observation, the study evaluates the effectiveness of raised crosswalks in enhancing safety and traffic compliance at intersections. The findings reveal varying severity levels of near-miss accidents, suggesting targeted risk mitigation strategies. Regression analysis indicates a substantial reduction in vehicle speed post-implementation, although other influencing factors persist. Moreover, Cost-Benefit Analysis underscores the financial viability of pedestrian crossing enhancements, emphasizing the potential for significant gains. Ultimately, this research contributes empirical insights to inform policy formulation and infrastructure design, facilitating safer and more sustainable pedestrian environments in Indonesian urban areas.

Piezoresistive response of MWCNTs/Epoxy mixtures with load-sensing capability

The impact of automobiles on pavement infrastructure is escalating with the expansion of economic activity and road networks. Overloading of freight trucks has emerged as a significant challenge in the realm of heavy vehicle control and management, primarily due to the adverse effects on road surfaces and traffic safety. Self-sensing pavement materials offer the prospect of autonomous monitoring of forces exerted on the pavement without relying on embedded sensors. These materials are engineered by integrating conductive fillers into a polymer matrix to enhance their ability to detect stress or strain while preserving their mechanical properties. Nano-conductive materials possess the potential to revolutionize traditional paving materials in terms of performance and applications. In this study, epoxy resin was selected as the base material due to its favorable physical and chemical characteristics. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were chosen as the conductive filler to formulate a MWCNTs/Epoxy mixture. The dispersion impact of the high-speed shear method on MWCNTs was verified. Subsequently, a hybrid resistance measuring method was developed using conductive copper foil as an electrode. An exploratory investigation was conducted to evaluate the piezoresistive response of MWCNTs/Epoxy mixtures under varying temperatures and loading frequencies. The study revealed that the MWCNTs content near the percolation threshold yields an improved piezoresistive response. The gauge factor of MWCNTs/Epoxy mixtures is up to 150, which is much higher than that of conductive asphalt mixture. Furthermore, the mixture exhibited robust and consistent piezoresistivity across different temperatures (ranging from 0°C to 60°C) and loading frequencies (ranging from 1 Hz to 10 Hz).

Numerical modelling of the spatial distribution of wave overtopping water behind dikes under regular wave action using OpenFOAM

The spatial distribution of wave overtopping water behind dikes is a key parameter for assessing the safety zone behind dikes in coastal areas, and it is essential for the safety of pedestrians behind dikes and the placement of critical infrastructure. A 2D OpenFOAM numerical model is validated using experimental data for predicting overtopping discharges and the spatial distribution of wave overtopping water behind a dike. The influences of slope angle, berm, landward ground level, relative structure freeboard, and product of incident wave height and wavelength are studied using a validated numerical model. Numerical model outcomes indicate that the lower slope angle has a critical value that is to be determined by the breaker parameter. Tests were conducted for a range of breaker parameters, including structure freeboard, and empirical-based predictive equations were derived for overtopping events under different wave conditions. We also found that the extent of the hazard area due to wave overtopping is significantly reduced when the landward ground level is negative. The findings of this study provide data and predictive formulas for assessments of the hazard zones behind the dikes and indicate the capability of numerical models in the design and safety assessment of dikes.

Are early maladaptive schemas related to current driver behaviors? A study on previous toxic experiences and driving

IntroductionRealizing the importance of driver behaviors in the context of road traffic safety, researchers investigated the factors that relate to driver behaviors. One of the most examined factors predicting driver behaviors is personality. In addition to personality characteristics, early maladaptive schemas (EMS) play a critical role in the way the individual thinks, feels, acts, and relates to others, which leads them to display the maladaptive behaviors to recreate the harmful conditions experienced in childhood. EMS are found to be associated with behavioral problems such as illicit drug use, aggressive and illegal behaviors, heavy alcohol use, risky sexual behaviors, violence towards parents and partners. The current work aims to examine the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and driver behaviors in traffic context after controlling the role of personality. MethodOf the 294 participants, 141 were males, 151 were females, and 2 did not specify sex. Age range was 18–67 (M = 27.2, SD = 10.5). Participants filled out an online survey battery including a demographic information form, the Basic Personality Traits Inventory, the Dirty Dozen, the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form, and the Driver Behavior Questionnaire. ResultsAccording to the results of the correlation analysis, schema domains showed significant relationships with the driver behavior subscales for 17 out of 25 coefficients. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that impaired autonomy was positively associated with errors and lapses, while it was negatively associated with positive behaviors. This relationship was found when demographic and personality variables were accounted for. ConclusionThe current study is the first to exclusively investigate the relationship between EMS and driver behaviors. Relationship between impaired autonomy on one hand and errors and lapses on the other point out to the role of affective and cognitive processes that play a role in driving.

Comprehensive Survey on Object Detection and Anomaly Detection Techniques for Ensuring Pedestrian Safety in Walkways

Comprehensive Survey on Object Detection and Anomaly Detection Techniques for Ensuring Pedestrian Safety in Walkways

Functional performance of low-cost electronic yarn for E-textiles

The current work presents and discusses the design and performance qualities of braided electronic yarns for woven textiles to produce red light-intensity effects. The design process involves a simple encapsulation process with adhesive tape and a heat-shrinkable tube to secure stainless-steel conductive threads (SS-CTs) to the solder pads of light-emitting diodes. These are arranged in a series against two SS-CTs to provide single positive and negative terminals at both ends. Findings from the infrared images show that the heat distribution and dissipation of the stainless-steel conductive threads are insignificant in affecting the wear comfort of the electronic textiles on the human body. The washing test shows the robust nature of the braided electronic yarns even after 20 cycles of being subjected to high agitation and mechanical stress. A proof of concept illustrates the effectiveness of the study results, which calls on further research work to enhance the durability and flexibility of the braided electronic yarns and electronic textiles to ensure a higher level of wear comfort. These braided electronic yarns would find end applications for nighttime visibility of pedestrians, a situation that would improve the recognition of drivers for reduced collision.Graphical abstractA simple low-cost process to manufacture electronic yarns (e-yarns) starts by embedding light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in series on two stainless-steel conductive threads (SS-CTs) through encapsulation in a heat-shrinkable tube (HST), and insulating one side of the SS-CT, then braided by using 8-core retroreflective threads that are then woven to form an electronic textile (e-textile). The braided e-yarns and e-textiles when washed exhibit good performance properties for clothing that would be interactive to enhance the nighttime visibility of pedestrians.Impact statementElectronic textiles otherwise known as e-textiles have been the subject of scholarly attention in recent years due to their performance properties and wide areas of application for entertainment, monitoring, and safety purposes. The use of appropriate electronic yarns (e-yarns) plays a key role in connectivity and provides the necessary feedback when applied to a textile material. E-yarns are now replacing a few modern electronic textiles (e-textiles) that use rigid copper wires commonly applied in electronic circuits for e-textiles and improve the wear comfort of the garment. The integration of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into conductive threads to form electronic yarns for textile material can be applied not only for entertainment purposes but also as a safety feature for pedestrians. The use of appropriate components is necessary to ensure and maintain the textile quality and properties for effective wearability. Herein, an e-yarn fabricated with stainless-steel conductive threads and LEDs for e-textiles is presented. As part of ongoing research work to develop smart interactive clothing to increase the nighttime visibility of pedestrians, this work discusses the design and performance qualities of braided e-yarns for woven textiles. The success of these low-cost, flexible, and strong (high wash durability) braided e-yarns facilitates their integration into woven fabrics for smart clothing to enhance the visibility and therefore safety of pedestrians.

Evaluating pedestrian facilities for enhancing pedestrian safety in Addis Ababa city

Transport demand has been increasing in most third-world countries. However, poorly maintained facilities and poor planning exposed pedestrians to high-traffic accidents. This paper aims to evaluate pedestrian facilities using the pedestrian level of service to enhance pedestrian safety in Addis Ababa. Relevant data was collected through field measurement and direct observation from 13 purposively identified pedestrian sites across the Piyasa to Bole bridge and Megenagna to Torihayloch road corridors. Pedestrian level of service derivation considered capacity, traffic, comfort, safety, and security conditions and their sub-components. The weight of each criterion and sub-factor was decided according to the Saaty scale using the judgment of experts under the analytical hierarchical process. The result of the study strongly stipulates the presence of the problem of pedestrian facilities in Megenagna, Mexico, Urael Church, and Golagol which can affect the level of pedestrian safety. However, Denibel City, Legahare, Torhayloch, and National Theater sites have scored better Pedestrian level of service for the walking population. Finally, the study recommended the requirement of prior attention for the sites with very poor and poor pedestrian levels of service by the concerned sectors.