Abstract
The objectives of this study are twofold: (1) to determine whether changes in drivers' yielding behavior are observed in sight-limited scenarios at marked mid-block crosswalks when advance yield markings and symbolic signage are installed and (2) to develop a mathematical model of drivers' performance in these scenarios that can be used to predict what improvements might be made in future pedestrian crosswalk signing. The methodology employed included standard videotaped observations of staged pedestrian-vehicle interactions as well as novel in-vehicle evaluations of eye movement data as a surrogate measure for hazard anticipation. Advance yield markings increase the likelihood that a driver will yield for a pedestrian when there is an adequate sight distance, confirming previous results. However, when the sight distance is not adequate, there is no change in the likelihood that a driver will yield. Interestingly, among those who do yield, the advance yield markings and symbolic signage lead to increases in both the distance between the stopped vehicle and the crossing pedestrian and the number of glances to the right for a potential pedestrian. The results indicate that adding advance yield markings without improving sight distance does not result in significant improvements in yielding behavior. The mathematical model suggests that it is the failure to see the pedestrian, not the failure to see the advance yield markings and symbolic sign, that explains why there is no improvement. The data suggest that parking must be prohibited in the area between the yield line and the crosswalk.
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