USE OF ANIMATION IN LED PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

Although the use of markings and signs prompting pedestrians to look for turning vehicles has been shown to be effective in reducing conflicts, the widescale implementation of these prompts would prove costly. A more economical way to increase pedestrians' observing behavior would be to incorporate the prompt as part of the pedestrian signal. One way to accomplish this would be to employ a light-emitting-diode (LED) pedestrian signal head and add animated eyes that scan from side to side at the start of the WALK indication. A study was conducted at two signalized intersections in downtown Clearwater, Florida, to evaluate the use of such a display. Two observers scored pedestrians' observing behavior and motor vehicle-pedestrian conflicts on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pedestrians at these sites must cross three potential turning-vehicle paths. During the baseline condition, the percentage of pedestrians not looking for turning vehicles averaged 32% at one site and 26% at the other. Introduction of the LED signal head without the EYES display produced no change. When the EYES display was introduced prior to the start of the WALK indication, the mean percentage of pedestrians not looking for turning vehicles decreased to 10% at the first intersection and 5% at the other. Introduction of the concurrent EYES display and WALK indication further reduced the percentage of pedestrians not looking for turning vehicles to 3% at both sites.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/614107147
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Page Range: pp 30-32, 34-35, 38
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Van Houten, R
  • Retting, R A
  • Van Houten, J
  • Farmer, C M
  • Malenfant, JEL
• Publication Date: 1999-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 6 p.
• Serial:
  • ITE Journal
  • Publisher: Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
  • ISSN: 0162-8178
  • Serial URL: https://www.ite.org/publications/ite-journal/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Light emitting diodes; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian signs; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Pedestrian vehicle interface; Signalized intersections; Traffic signals; Turning traffic; Warning signs
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00761050
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 24 1999 12:00AM