DRIVER AND PEDESTRIAN COMPREHENSION OF PEDESTRIAN LAW AND TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

A nationwide survey was conducted to identify how well people understand pedestrian safety issues. The study focused on the respondents' assessment of pedestrian involvement in traffic accidents and knowledge of pedestrian-related traffic control devices and pedestrian-related laws. Responses from both pedestrians and motorists were included in the findings. Questionnaires were distributed at driver's license examination stations in each of the 48 contiguous United States. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) also distributed questionnaires to many of its members participating in a defensive driving course offered by the organization. From the examination stations, 3,595 completed questionnaires were returned, while 1,231 completed questionnaires were returned from the AARP. The surveys were disaggregated based on the personal experience and demographic characteristics of the respondents. These groups were tested using the chi-square method to identify statistically significant differences. The study found that a high percentage of the respondents are knowledgeable of proper pedestrian-vehicle interaction. Many of the respondents, however, appear to have a poor understanding of many of the pedestrian-related traffic control devices and issues related to safe pedestrian habits. While many of the disaggregated groups showed statistical differences, few showed practical differences that would justify the development of special programs to target specific groups, such as the elderly.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1995/1502/1502-013.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=DRIVER+AND+PEDESTRIAN+COMPREHENSION+OF+PEDESTRIAN+LAW+AND+TRAFFIC+CONTROL+DEVICES&author=J.+Tidwell&author=D.+Doyle&publication_year=1995
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309061644
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1502, Bicycle and Pedestrian Research. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Tidwell, John E
  • Doyle, Devin P
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 119-128
• Monograph Title: Bicycle and pedestrian research
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1502
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Comprehension; Data collection; Demographics; Disaggregate analysis; Driver experience; Knowledge; Pedestrian safety; Questionnaires; Surveys; Traffic control devices
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pedestrian laws
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00715595
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309061644
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 16 1996 12:00AM