Pedestrian Push-Button Confirmation Increases Call Button Usage and Compliance

Abstract

Many pedestrian crashes involve pedestrians crossing during the don't walk signals for pedestrians. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of push buttons that give visual and audible feedback when they have been pressed on the proportion of pedestrians who press the call button and the proportion of pedestrians pressing the call button who wait for the walk sign. Data were collected at two busy intersections in Miami Beach, Florida, with relatively high daily traffic flows. The installation of push buttons that provided visual and audible feedback was associated with a statistically significant increase in the percentage of cycles in which pedestrians pressed the button as well as a significant increase in the percentage of pedestrians pressing the button who waited for the walk sign. Because behavior changed only when the new push buttons were installed and the push buttons were installed at a different point in time at each site, it was possible to rule out potential confounding variables such as weather, traffic flow, and changes in the demographic characteristics of the pedestrian. The percentage of pedestrians trapped in the roadway was also lower when pedestrians waited for the walk sign during baseline. After the new push buttons were installed, the percentage of trapped pedestrians decreased. Because push buttons that emit a visible and audible cue when they are pressed are relatively inexpensive, this treatment is a cost-effective way to increase the percentage of pedestrians who press the button and wait for the walk sign before crossing. Accessible push buttons also acknowledge they have been pressed. These data indicate that accessible buttons may benefit all pedestrians.