Citation

Britt JW, Bergman AB, Moffat J. Transp. Res. Rec. 1995; 1485: 160-167.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Enforcement of pedestrian right-of-way laws at uncontrolled crosswalk locations and its effect on driver compliance were evaluated from 1991 to 1994 through the cooperative efforts of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and the Seattle Police Department. Citywide, neighborhood and intersection-specific enforcement was evaluated by using a standardized crossing technique to provide drivers with opportunities to stop for a pedestrian. The rates of driver compliance before and after the programs were calculated by an independent observer. The evaluation suggests that targeting small areas may be as effective as citywide campaigns, that brief efforts may be as effective as longer programs, and that benefits to pedestrians from such enforcement in high-volume commuter corridors may be minimal. In light of the often contradictory results, expectations of traffic enforcement to improve pedestrian safety should remain modest. Behavioral and environmental factors that are more salient to the driver than even rather intensive enforcement efforts make it difficult to achieve a consistent positive effect. Continued research is recommended to identify the optimal use of limited traffic enforcement resources in the service of pedestrian safety.

Record URL:

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1995/1485/1485-021.pdf

Language: en

Keywords

Accident prevention; Highway accidents; Laws and legislation; Pedestrian safety; Highway traffic control; Motor transportation; Highway administration; Highway systems