STUDENT AND DRIVER PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL TRIP SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

Young pedestrians, under 15 years of age, have experienced problems which have resulted in accident involvement twice that for any other age group. Analysis of school walking trip accidents indicates that the youngest ages (5-8 years) are over-involved, while the older age groups (10-14 years) are under-involved in traffic accidents. The school walking trip accident represents between 10 and 20 percent of young pedestrian accidents. In order to understand the involvement of two parties to the accidents, an analysis of the student and the driver was in order. Field surveys were utilized to determine student and driver perceptions of traffic control devices. These consisted of two structured surveys, a student survey and a driver survey. Interviews were conducted with approximately 1,000 student (Kindergarten, 3rd, 6th and 8th grades) and some 400 passing motorists at school locations in New York, Maryland, and Virginia. The results of the student interviews indicate that significantly more of the younger students than the older students: are unaware of or do not discriminate between various traffic control devices; consider uniformed crossing guards safer than other traffic control devices; and would vary their route to school on the basis of parental instructions. Driver responses were evaluated based on their recognition of existing signing and on behavioral modifications as evidenced by a change in speed. Covert use of radar hand guns were employed to measure driver performance and to provide a comparison with the driver interview responses. Drivers were not observant of school advance warning and crosswalk signs, and, in general, the only school signs perceived were active signs with flashing lights. These did not necessarily modify driver behavior or reduce speed to the level indicated on the sign. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  Biotechnology, Incorporated

  3027 Rosemary Lane
  Falls Church, VA  United States  22042
• Authors:
  • REISS, M L
  • Robertson, H D
• Publication Date: 1976-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 35 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Drivers; Human characteristics; Pedestrians; Perception; School children; Students; Traffic control devices; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Child safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver perception; Pedestrian characteristics
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00141950
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-8126
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 13 1977 12:00AM