The Safety of Older Pedestrians at Signal-Controlled Crossings

Abstract

The extent to which pedestrians checked for oncoming traffic before crossing signal-controlled intersections on busy city streets was observed. Contrary to the portrayal of older pedestrians as being less aware of the traffic environment, pedestrians over the age of fifty were the most cautious, especially under dangerous traffic conditions. Older pedestrians were least likely to use other pedestrians as “guides” to safety and, instead, checked for oncoming traffic themselves before crossing. There was an overall tendency for pedestrians to check for oncoming traffic, the fewer the number of other pedestrians crossing the intersection. “Diffusion of responsibility” and “safety in numbers” explanations were offered to account for this. Wide intersections elicited more traffic checking than narrow intersections only if traffic conditions were hazardous.