CHILD PEDESTRIANS

This article outlines work being carried out by the transport and Road Research Laboratory on the behaviour of child pedestrians because of the frequency of road accidents, more than 100 being injured on an average day. Time lapse photography has provided data at sites where children cross roads to school which is analysed frame-by-frame and processed by computer. The article is concerned with the techniques and methods used rather than the results. Four basic problems are discussed in turn:- (1) collecting data-filming restricts the number of sites that can be studied, but gives a complete permanent record for detailed analysis. (2) selection and interpretation of data-filming allows a wide variety of measures and avoids the need for selecting measures in advance. (3) reliability- films avoid observer bias, but an element of subjectivity is transferred to the analysis stage: only head movements presenting any real problem (4) validity. The latter is discussed in more detail. The infrequency of accidents makes it necessary to obtain knowledge through retrospective report, whereas normal behaviour can be studied in detail. Inaccurate conclusions may be drawn for a variety of reasons; examples discussed are the wrong choice of site, wrong measures having been taken, different degrees of exposure for different groups and the possibility that there is no relation between accidents and normal behaviour. The latter problem has been resolved with driver behaviour by studies of near accident situations. The author concludes by stating that pedestrian behaviour studies are being made in order to provide sound knowledge on which to base measures for accident prevention. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  New Science Publications

  128 Long Acre
  London,   England  WC2 9QH
• Authors:
  • GRAYSON, G B
• Publication Date: 1975-7-31

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 180-181
• Serial:
  • New Behaviour
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: New Science Publications

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Behavior; Children; Crashes; Information management; Information organization; Information processing; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian-vehicle crashes; Pedestrians; Photography; Prevention; Safety; School children; Schools; Time lapse photography; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Child safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Minors; Pedestrian protection
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 9001: Behaviour; 1758: Child; 1667: Crossing the road; 8655: Data processing; 8555: Information documentation; 1733: Pedestrian; 6751: Photography; 101: School
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Education and Training; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00132221
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 23 1976 12:00AM