Pedestrian Countdown Signals: What Impact on Safe Crossing?

Supernak, Janusz; Verma, Vinay; Supernak, Iga · 2013 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.4236/ojce.2013.33b007

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Summary

This study evaluates the safety impacts of Pedestrian Countdown Signals (PCS) on crossing behavior at a busy downtown intersection in San Diego, California. While previous research indicated mixed results regarding PCS effectiveness, this paper aims to determine how PCS systems influence pedestrian decisions to start or complete crossings, specifically analyzing whether pedestrians adjust their walking speeds to avoid illegal exits. The research focuses on the interaction between signal timing, crossing geometry, vehicular traffic volume, and pedestrian demographics. The methodology involved videotaping over 5,500 pedestrian crossing episodes at the intersection of Broadway and Second Avenue over three weeks. Researchers coded detailed data for each pedestrian, including crossing timing, signal phases, and individual characteristics. The study compared two distinct crossing scenarios: a long crossing (25.8 meters) on Broadway with heavy vehicular traffic and a long Flashing Don’t Walk (FDW) phase, versus a short crossing (14.4 meters) on Second Avenue with light traffic and a short FDW phase. Pedestrians were categorized by age, gender, and activity (e.g., runners, bicyclists). Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), were used to examine entry and exit violation rates across these variables. The findings reveal that PCS effectiveness is highly dependent on crossing length and traffic conditions. On the long Broadway crossing, PCS significantly reduced exit violations; approximately 60% of pedestrians who entered illegally but were at risk of an illegal exit increased their speed to complete the crossing safely. In contrast, PCS was largely ineffective on the short Second Avenue crossing, where exit violation rates remained high (around 20%). On this short crossing, pedestrians often felt safe enough to cross during illegal phases due to light traffic and large vehicle gaps, rather than waiting for the signal. Overall entry violation rates were high (approx. 30%), while exit violations were low on the long crossing (approx. 6%) but substantial on the short one. Violation rates were highest among runners, bicyclists, and older males. The study also found that pedestrian behavior was consistent over time, with no significant variation by day or week, though violations were more frequent during peak hours. The significance of this research lies in its demonstration that PCS systems are not universally effective; their success depends on site-specific factors such as crossing distance and vehicular interference. The study concludes that PCS helps pedestrians adjust speed to avoid dangerous exits primarily in high-risk environments with long crossings and heavy traffic. In low-risk environments with short crossings, PCS fails to prevent violations because pedestrians perceive the crossing as safe despite signal indications. The authors recommend multivariate analysis for future studies to account for the complex interplay of geometry, traffic, and demographic factors in pedestrian safety planning.

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Topics

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• pedestrian behavior perception
• vru facing ehmi