Analysis of Pedestrians’ Road Crossing Behavior, in Social Groups

Barón, Leidy; Faria, Susana; Sousa, Emanuel; Freitas, Elisabete · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1177/03611981231180206

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Summary

This study investigates the influence of social group size and sex composition on pedestrian behavior during road crossings, addressing a significant gap in research regarding low-density, unsignalized environments. While previous studies focused on high-density crowds or evacuation scenarios, this research examines how social interactions affect walking dynamics in normal urban conditions. The authors aim to understand variations in speed and spatial cohesion across three phases of crossing: before, during, and after. The methodology employed semi-controlled experiments in Guimarães, Portugal, involving 90 young adult participants (45 males, 45 females) recruited from the University of Minho. Participants were organized into clusters and formed groups of one, two, or three individuals with varying sex compositions (all-male, all-female, or mixed). These groups traversed fixed trajectories across three unsignalized crosswalks with low pedestrian density. Video recordings captured the trajectories, which were analyzed using T-Analyst software to extract average walking speeds and distances between pedestrians. The data were modeled using linear mixed models (LMMs) to account for nested structures and repeated measurements, controlling for external factors such as sidewalk width and vehicle presence. The results indicate distinct behavioral patterns across the crossing phases. Pedestrians reduced their speed when approaching the curb, accelerated while on the crosswalk, and slowed down again upon reaching the opposite side. In all phases, group members walked slower than single pedestrians. Sex composition significantly influenced speed before and after the crossing, with female groups walking slower than male groups; however, no sex-related speed differences were observed during the actual crossing. Regarding spatial organization, the distance between pedestrians increased before the crossing and decreased from the second segment within the crosswalk. The smallest inter-person distances were observed in female groups and dyads. Leg length differences did not significantly impact the models. These findings highlight the complexity of pedestrian dynamics driven by social cohesion and communication needs. The study demonstrates that social factors, particularly group size and sex composition, are critical determinants of walking speed and spacing in low-density urban settings. By providing empirical data on group behavior at unsignalized crossings, this research offers valuable insights for improving pedestrian safety models, optimizing infrastructure design, and developing more realistic simulation techniques for traffic engineering.

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• pedestrian behavior perception