Pedestrian Behavior at Signal-Controlled Crosswalks

Analysis and reconstruction of pedestrian accidents remains a difficult task for the accident analyst. Time-distance analyses rely on currently published pedestrian walking speed data. There is a lack of real-world data in the current literature that evaluates pedestrian perception/reaction to a signal change and acceleration to a steady-state walking velocity.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the behavior and gait response of pedestrians at signal-controlled intersections. Real-world observations were made at eight intersections throughout the greater Los Angeles area with a concentration on adults and elderly adults. Of particular interest was the elapsed time between the illumination of a pedestrian walk sign and gait initiation. The rate of acceleration, steady state velocity and the number of steps required to reach a steady state velocity were also measured.