EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ON YIELDING MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AT TWO STAGE CROSSWALKS

Abstract

The use of two-stage crossing facilities is being promoted as a countermeasure for crossing pedestrian crashes. But the number of two-stage crossing facilities in Japan is smaller than in Western countries, and the accumulation of research on actual usage is not sufficient. In this study, we conducted an observation survey at five two-stage crossing facilities and analyzed vehicle behavior and crossing behavior of pedestrians and cyclists. As a result, it is clarified that the drivers' yielding behaviors are more likely to occur when pedestrians are waiting at refuge island than at the edge of crosswalk. Furthermore, focusing on the installation location of the facility, in the case installed near the station, drivers can easily yield to pedestrian, while in the case where the vehicle traffic volume is high and the vehicle speed is high, the drivers' yielding behaviors are unlikely to occur. In addition, it is demonstrated that there is a possibility of a dangerous crossing because the safety confirmation of pedestrians and cyclists in crossing is insufficient at the straight type of two-stage crosswalk installed near the station.