The influence of pedestrian crossings features on driving behavior and road safety

Traffic safety depends upon the integrated and complex relationship between various components: driver psychology, traffic, vehicles and road infrastructures. According to statistics, the aspect that seems to be the most important, as it is responsible for most accidents, is the behavioral component and therefore the psychology of the driver of the vehicle. When considering the interaction between drivers and road infrastructure, pedestrian crossings play a significant role because theirs configuration, in terms of traffic signs and road signage, implicates different behavior responses. For this reason, it is important to identify which situations would be safer for vulnerable users. In the present study, a sample of 24 drivers performed a trial route of 59.4 km to investigate the totality of non-signalized pedestrian crossings located along the roadways. GPS kinematic parameters and mobile eye tracking data were registered to evaluate their approaching behavior. Pedestrian crossings were classified according to the configuration of road elements present in the each intersection. For each single crossing were evaluated the approach speed, the distance of pedestrian crossings perception and the fixation time to specific elements. The frame-by-frame video analysis shows that at least one element is visualized by 84% of drivers and the presence of certain elements and their configuration determine significant differences in sight distances and speed adaptation. Overall, driver behavior is significantly influenced by crossings complexity, determining remarkable effects on the incidence of fatal pedestrian accidents.