Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons and Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons: Pedestrian and Driver Behavior before and after Installation

Abstract

As part of a recent research project on countermeasures for pedestrian crashes in Texas, researchers conducted a before-and-after field study to identify changes in driver yielding and selected pedestrian behaviors that resulted from the installation of rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at four sites and a pedestrian hybrid beacon at one site at previously untreated crosswalks. The installations resulted in noticeable improvement in the proportion of yielding vehicles, with increases of 35 to 80 percentage points at the study sites. Most (94%) of the nonstaged pedestrians activated the treatment at treated sites. An increase in the number of nonstaged pedestrian crossings was observed after the pedestrian hybrid beacon was installed at the study site. Nearside yielding rates were higher for nonstaged pedestrians who waited at the edge of the travel lane than for those who waited at the top of the curb ramp. Pedestrian searching behavior for crossings not controlled by a crossing guard was common, with 92% of pedestrians looking at least in one direction and 68% looking in both directions at least once.