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The Impact of Pedestrian Crossing Flags on Driver Yielding Behavior in Las Vegas, NV

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  • Sheila Clark

    (UNLV School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA)

  • Courtney Coughenour

    (UNLV School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA)

  • Kelly Bumgarner

    (UNLV School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA)

  • Hanns de la Fuente-Mella

    (Escuela de Comercio, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340031, Chile)

  • Chantel Reynolds

    (UNLV School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA)

  • James Abelar

    (UNLV School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA)

Abstract

Walking is the most affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly method of transportation. However, the risk of pedestrian injury or death from motor vehicle crashes is significant, particularly in sprawling metropolitan areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pedestrian crossing flags (PCFs) on driver yielding behaviors. Participants crossed a marked, midblock crosswalk on a multilane road in Las Vegas, Nevada, with and without PCFs, to determine if there were differences in driver yielding behaviors ( n = 160 crossings). Trained observers recorded (1) the number of vehicles that passed in the nearest lane without yielding while the pedestrian waited at the curb and (2) the number of vehicles that passed through the crosswalk while the pedestrian was in the same half of the roadway. ANOVA revealed that drivers were significantly less likely to pass through the crosswalk with the pedestrian in the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 0.20; M = 0.06); drivers were more likely to yield to the pedestrian waiting to enter the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 1.38; M = 0.95). Pedestrian crossing flags are a low-tech, low-cost intervention that may improve pedestrian safety at marked mid-block crosswalks. Future research should examine driver fade-out effects and more advanced pedestrian safety alternatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheila Clark & Courtney Coughenour & Kelly Bumgarner & Hanns de la Fuente-Mella & Chantel Reynolds & James Abelar, 2019. "The Impact of Pedestrian Crossing Flags on Driver Yielding Behavior in Las Vegas, NV," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-8, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4741-:d:262473
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Retting, R.A. & Ferguson, S.A. & McCartt, A.T., 2003. "A Review of Evidence-Based Traffic Engineering Measures Designed to Reduce Pedestrian-Motor Vehicle Crashes," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1456-1463.
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    Cited by:

    1. Deepti Muley & Mohamed Kharbeche & Lucy Downey & Wafaa Saleh & Mohammed Al-Salem, 2019. "Road Users’ Behavior at Marked Crosswalks on Channelized Right-Turn Lanes at Intersections in the State of Qatar," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Benito Umaña-Hermosilla & Hanns de la Fuente-Mella & Claudio Elórtegui-Gómez & Marisela Fonseca-Fuentes, 2020. "Multinomial Logistic Regression to Estimate and Predict the Perceptions of Individuals and Companies in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Ñuble Region, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-20, November.
    3. Preda Pichayapan & Manop Kaewmoracharoen & Thanatchaporn Peansara & Patcharapan Nanthavisit, 2020. "Urban School Area Road Safety Improvement and Assessment with a 3D Piano-Keyboard-Styled Pedestrian Crossing Approach: A Case Study of Chiang Mai University Demonstration School," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-14, August.
    4. Keila González-Gómez & María Castro, 2019. "Evaluating Pedestrians’ Safety on Urban Intersections: A Visibility Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-16, November.

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