Pedestrians' Road Crossing Behavior at Unprotected Mid-Blocks among Adolescents and Adults

Traffic crashes involving pedestrians often occur when the gap acceptance selected is below the minimum critical gap. Social cues and situational awareness play a key role in pedestrians' choices when crossing roads at unprotected mid-blocks. This paper investigates the effects of conformist behavior on pedestrians' cautiousness relative to their age group. In particular, we examine differences between adolescents (aged 13-18 years) and adults (aged 18 years or over). Video cameras were set at three urban locations in Auckland City, New Zealand. A total of 1,330 pedestrians were divided into four age groups, with adolescence used as the reference group. Risk ratios and regression analysis were used to measure the association between variables. The key finding from the observed behavior shows that group dynamics can reduce individuals' attention to the road crossing regardless of age and gender. Although both adolescents and adults display self-regulation with various cautious behaviors, the presence of others affects their selection of the safety margin (time left to spare after crossing). Differences in the safety margins for groups of adolescents and adults largely involved the relationship amongst the group members rather than the number of people. Such findings present evidence that injury prevention strategies need to reflect the instincts and behavioral habits of different pedestrians. Encouraging a safety culture targeted specifically at various age groups that aligns with road design facilities and recognizes these behaviors will assist in the reduction of crashes involving pedestrians.