Pedestrian Safety

Walking is healthy and is one of the most sustainable modes of transportation. However, pedestrians are among the most vulnerable of our road users, and pedestrian fatalities have been increasing over the last 30 years. HFSL has been involved in multiple city-wide research studies considering approaches to improve pedestrian safety.

For examining these questions, the research team uses a combination of in-person field methods such as staged crossings and observations, remote methods such as cameras, and survey methods to measure attitudes and knowledge towards pedestrians and driver-pedestrian interaction, and driving simulation to directly measure driving performance toward simulated pedestrians. 

Some specific research topics in pedestrian safety we've investigated included the effectiveness of multi-method intervention methods to improve driver yielding at unsignalized intersections, the effectiveness of similar programs for signalized intersections, the impact of mixed traffic with automated vehicles on pedestrian risk, and the role different types of infrastructure play in pedestrian safety.

Craig, C. M., Drahos, B. A., Morris, N. L., & Van Houten, R. (2023). The sustained and generalized effects of multifaceted treatment on unsignalized pedestrian crossings. Journal of Transport & Health, 31, 101648. 

Van Houten, R., Morris, N.L., Craig, C.M., Dixon, D., & Hochmuth, J. (2022). Changing Driver Yielding on a City-Wide Basis. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 42(2),126–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2021.1968561

Morris, N.L., Craig, C.M., & Van Houten, R. (2020). Effective Interventions to Reduce Multiple Threat Conflicts and Improve Pedestrian Safety. Transportation Research Record, 2674, 149–159.

Craig, C. M., Morris, N. L., Van Houten, R., & Mayou, D. (2019). Pedestrian safety and driver yielding near public transit stops. Transportation Research Record, 2673(1), 514-523.

Craig, C. M., Morris, N. L., & Hong, Y. (2019). A Case Study on the Impact of Crosswalk Markings on Driver Yielding to Pedestrians. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 63(1), 1399-1403.