METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING THE SAFETY OF MIDBLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Spatial and temporal characteristics of midblock pedestrian crashes (MBPCs) were evaluated toward a better understanding of where and when the MBPCs occur. Existing databases related to traffic crashes were used. Other data used include traffic and geometric characteristics of the roadways under consideration as well as analyses of pedestrian and driver behaviors. General statistical analysis methods were used to evaluate various hypotheses. The statistical Z-test was used to evaluate the age and gender distribution, light condition, fatalities, and alcohol- or drug-use-related characteristics involved in MBPCs. The results correlated these factors with the potential for the occurrence of MBPCs. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used as a nonparametric test to compare the safety of midblock crossings with the safety of crossings at intersections. The methodology was tested and validated using midblock locations in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The results indicate that there is a significantly lower potential for conflict if pedestrians cross at an intersection instead of crossing at a midblock location. Although this methodology was applied to data from the Las Vegas metropolitan area, it is applicable to evaluating the safety of midblock pedestrian crossings anywhere else, provided that appropriate data are available.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/1828-09
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=METHODOLOGY+FOR+EVALUATING+THE+SAFETY+OF+MIDBLOCK+PEDESTRIAN+CROSSINGS&author=Z.+CUI&author=S.+Nambisan&publication_year=2003
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Public/Blurbs/153109.aspx
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1828, Pedestrians and Bicycles 2003.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • CUI, Z
  • Nambisan, S S
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 75-82
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1828
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Alcohol use; Behavior; Crash analysis; Crash data; Drivers; Drug use; Fatalities; Gender; Geometric design; Lighting; Midblock crossings; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Pedestrians; Statistical analysis; Traffic characteristics
• Geographic Terms: Las Vegas (Nevada)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00962829
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309085616
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 10 2003 12:00AM