Field Study of Driver Behavior by Interval at Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons

Abstract

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs) offer a unique opportunity to facilitate pedestrian crossings at midblock crossing locations. The tri-signal head design includes two red lights above a single yellow light and includes five distinct phasing intervals previously unfamiliar within this context to drivers: Dark, Flashing Yellow, Solid Yellow, Solid Red, and Flashing Red. Each interval is intended to communicate some aspect of needing to stop, slow, or remain cautious to drivers; however, the PHBs’ effectiveness is only realized if drivers both comprehend the meaning of the specific intervals and respond appropriately. This study was initiated to examine the extent to which drivers stop during each PHB interval. Natural field observations were collected from 10 PHB installations throughout Massachusetts, U.S., and included at least 3 h of video data or 50 actuated crossings. A developed video reduction method was employed to record the number of vehicles that fully stopped, partially stopped, or drove through each PHB interval during a pedestrian crossing event. This research provides insight on drivers’ behavior at each interval and the correlation with pedestrian crossing behavior, such as the interval when the pedestrian decides to cross. These results present data on the diversity of driver behaviors across different PHB intervals, pedestrian crossing intervals, and site characteristics. Furthermore, this study identifies behaviors such as early stopping, trailing vehicles, and operational features, such as lockout, that may increase confusion and incorrect use of PHB intervals by both drivers and pedestrians, providing the foundation for future research efforts.