Factors Affecting the Yielding Behavior at Unsignalized Crosswalks Focusing on the Road Environment and Traffic

Abstract

To improve safe and secure walking environment on residential streets, it is important to make drivers attention of the existence of the crosswalk and pedestrians. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of the road environment and traffic, including the visibility of unsignalized crosswalks, on yielding behavior. A survey was conducted at 21 unsignalized crosswalks around Asahi-ku in Osaka City and around Showa-ku in Nagoya City. Using the results of the survey we analyzed the effects of the road environment and traffic on the yielding behavior. The main findings of this study are as follows. 1) The average yielding behavior rate at all unsignalized crosswalks surveyed in this study was 49%. The maximum yielding behavior rate was 89% and the minimum yielding behavior rate was 4%. 2) The yielding behavior rate was higher at single-lane crosswalks than at two-lane crosswalks. 3) The results suggest that the degree of clearly of crosswalk related to the visibility may affect the yielding behavior.