Children’s pedestrian route selection: Efficacy of a video and internet training protocol

This randomized controlled trial examined one aspect of child pedestrian behavior, route selection across intersections, to evaluate whether a combination of widely-available videos and websites effectively train children in safe pedestrian route selection compared to active pedestrian safety control training and a no-contact control group. A sample of 231 seven- and eight-year-olds were randomly assigned to one of four groups: training with videos and internet websites, active control groups of individualized streetside training or training within a virtual pedestrian environment, or a no-contact control group. All training groups received six 30-min training sessions. Pedestrian route selection was assessed using two strategies, vignettes accompanied by illustrations and tabletop models of intersections, on three occasions: prior to intervention group assignment, immediately post-training, and six months after training. Although there were differences in route selection over time, no time by condition interaction effects were significant (ps > .05), suggesting children in the video/internet training group did not learn pedestrian route selection skills at a rate different from those in the other training groups or those in the no-contact control group. Safe route selection is a critical component of pedestrian safety. The results suggest children may not learn route selection from widely-available videos or websites. Explanations for the null finding and implications for both research and future practice are discussed.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2014.07.005
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847814001119
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13698478
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Schwebel, David C
  • McClure, Leslie A
• Publication Date: 2014-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 171-179
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
  • Volume: 26, Part A
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 1369-8478
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13698478

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Children; Education and training methods; Intersections; Learning; Pedestrian education; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrian safety; Route choice
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01541011
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 15 2014 5:11PM