Evaluation of before and after Measures to Curb Distracted Walking

Akter, Samia; Mwakalonge, Judith L; Hong, Jae Dong; Comert, Gurcan; Musa, Isa; Mamun, Md Mahmud Hasan · 2021 · ROSA P / Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility, Clemson University

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Summary

This study addresses the growing safety concern of distracted walking, primarily caused by cellular device usage, which contributes to pedestrian fatalities and injuries. Motivated by rising pedestrian crash statistics and a lack of comprehensive data on effective countermeasures, the research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions—namely warning traffic signs and pavement markings—in reducing distracted pedestrian behavior. The authors seek to provide transportation officials with evidence-based strategies to enhance public safety and curb the negative impacts of multitasking while walking. The methodology employed a "before and after" approach combining field surveys and microscopic traffic simulation. First, the researchers designed four distinct safety signs using Adobe Photoshop to maximize visibility and attractiveness. These signs were evaluated through a survey of 160 participants at South Carolina State University and Benedict College to determine the most effective design. Second, the study utilized VISSIM VisWalk software to model a "T" intersection near a university, simulating pedestrian flows and vehicle interactions. The simulation allowed for the modification of walking behavior parameters, specifically the "tau" ($\tau$) value, to represent distracted pedestrians. The model tracked metrics such as average walking speed, travel time, and standard deviations to assess how distraction and proposed countermeasures influenced pedestrian movement and safety. The findings indicate that distracted pedestrians exhibit unsafe behaviors, including reduced situational awareness, slower walking speeds, and increased likelihood of entering traffic perilously. The survey results provided a ranking of the four proposed safety signs, identifying which designs were most effective at capturing pedestrian attention. In the simulation component, the study demonstrated that varying the tau value significantly impacted pedestrian average walking speed and travel time. Specifically, the simulation showed that distracted pedestrians (modeled with altered parameters) had different travel time distributions compared to undistracted ones, highlighting the measurable impact of distraction on crossing efficiency and safety. The research also noted shortcomings in model calibration and validation, suggesting areas for future refinement. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to the limited body of literature evaluating specific countermeasures for distracted walking. By combining empirical survey data with advanced simulation modeling, the study offers actionable insights for transportation agencies and enforcement officials. The results help identify effective visual countermeasures, such as optimized safety signs, that can be implemented to alert pedestrians and reduce risky behaviors. Ultimately, the study supports the development of targeted safety guidelines and infrastructure improvements aimed at mitigating the risks associated with distracted walking, thereby enhancing overall pedestrian safety in urban environments.

Key finding

The implementation of specific safety signs and pavement markings, validated through simulation, effectively altered pedestrian walking behavior and travel times, suggesting these measures can curb distracted walking.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 160

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• pedestrian behavior perception
• external distraction
• visual

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence