United States Department of Transportation
i
Improving safety of vulnerable road users : effectiveness of environment and in-vehicle warning systems at intermodal interchanges.
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2014-01-01
[PDF-1.25 MB]
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Abstract:In 2009, there were over 114,000 fatalities and injuries in the U.S. among vulnerable road users (VRUs; pedestrians and pedal cyclists; NHTSA, 2010). 4,092 pedestrians were killed in pedestrian-vehicle crashes. Pedestrian risk at intermodal interchanges such as bus terminals may be due to factors such as the greatly increased number of pedestrians, the increased likelihood of poor pedestrian behavior, and the lack of separation between pedestrians and vehicles (Clifton & Kreamer-Fults, 2007; Zegeer & Bushell, 2012). The current study investigates the effectiveness of structural and in-vehicle interventions for modifying driver behavior as drivers approach, pass through, and depart from an urban bus terminal. The impact of facility structural elements (pedestrian crossing signs, marked crosswalks, and sidewalks) and an in-vehicle pedestrian warning system was evaluated using the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems driving simulator. 37 participants completed 186 drives in the driving simulator. Driver speed and lane position were evaluated. An in-vehicle alarm indicating “high pedestrian areas” led to reduced driver speed but drivers shifted closer to the shoulder (and pedestrians). Marked crosswalks had no observed effect on driver speed or vehicle controls but also led to drivers positioning themselves closer to the shoulder. Drivers exhibited risk compensation behaviors by driving faster and closer to shoulders when sidewalks were present. Pedestrian crossing signals led to reduced driver speed.
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