The safety of elderly pedestrians at five urban intersections in MIAMI Student: 董瑩蟬

Purpose This study investigated the pedestrian behavior on the intersections. There record five intersections situation in MIAMI. The data analysis the characteristic and walk speed etc.

Reference Brock et al.(1990) found that the older adults descend with visual and hearing, and Mcdowd et al.(1990) showed that the slowing information processing with older. Some study found that the older adult has poor motor control.(Gottsdanker,1982; larish et al.,1982)

Reference Hauer (1988) found the older pedestrian walking speed about 2.5ft/sec, and this speed can provided about 87% older adults safety crossing the intersection. Knoblauch et al.(1996) found the walking speed standards of 3.0 to 3.25 ft/sec. but current used 4ft/sec for the design of intersections.

Method Data collect The data from five intersections in MAIAM. They used video record the pedestrians behavior on the intersection, for example traffic volume, vehicle speed etc. Interview Fifteen item question include characteristics, physical, perception of the crosswalk dimensions and perceived safety at the intersections.

Method Sample –178 pedestrians were interviewed.(93M,75F) 66 young(20-40),52 middle(41-60),60 old (more 60) –Videotape data record 263 pedestrians 148 young, 40 old, 75 not classified Data analysis –ANOVA –Chi-square

Method Independent variable Age, Problems seeing, Problems walking Dependent variable –Subjective Perceived crosswalk dimensions, perceived difficulties, perceived safety and perceived adequacy of crossing time. –Objective Pedestrian difficulties, walking speed, crossing time, pedestrian vehicle conflicts.

Results-interviews  Characteristics of pedestrians 141(79%) familiar Miami Beach 109(61%) resident 52(29%) tourism 14(8%) work 103(58%) walk every day 55(31%) have problems seeing 81(47%) wore glasses or contact lenses 33(19%) have problems walking 11(6%) used walking aid

Results-interviews  Perception of crosswalk dimensions The was an significant difference with age on the perception of crosswalk dimensions. The older perceived significant longer and wider than middle-aged (F(2,173)=10.14,p<0.001),and than young (F(2,160)=3.96,p<0.02). 31% older adult feeling the crosswalk as being too long,10% of the middle-aged and 8%of the young.

Results-interviews  Perceived difficulties and safety at intersections 84(47%) feeling not enough time to crossing 78(44%) feeling more than time to crossing 16(9%) feeling just enough time to crossing 105(59%)feeling can safe crossing 73(41%) feeling can’t safe crossing 134(75%)not meet difficult

Results-interviews  Perceived difficulties and safety at intersections The older have significantly difficult than younger (x2(2,167)=6.22,p=0.05). The age has no significantly different on the perception safety crossing. The older(42%) with problems walking more than younger(3%) and middle-age(12%) pedestrians (x2(2,167)=34.95,p<0.0001). Pedestrian with walking problem report significantly more difficulties on crossing road than without walking problems. (x2(1,164)=19.22,p<0.001).

Results-interviews  Perceived difficulties and safety at intersections The age group has significant difference in the types of suggestions. (x2(6,96)=22.93,p=0.001). 93(52%) person suggest increase crossing time. there were report from Older 50% Middle-age 22% Young 8%

Results-videotape data  Pedestrian walking speed The age group has significant different with walking speed. (F(2,260)=15.83,p=0.001). Mean walking speed 15th percentile Older 3.19ft/sec 2.20ft/sec Young 4.42ft/sec 3.31ft/sec No class 4.15ft/sec 3.44ft/sec overall 3.09ft/sec The older walking speed of 15th percentile was similar to Hoxie et al.(1994) 2.4ft/sec and Dahlstedt (1978)2.3ft/sec.

Results-videotape data  Pedestrian difficult The older more difficult than young in the crossing road.(x2(2,263)=40.39,p=0.001).  pedestrian-vehicle conflicts There were 96 pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, 29% from vehicle error. Pedestrian with all group which trend to interfered with vehicle.(x2(2,263)=7.82,p=0.02). Most conflicts occurred in the crosswalk(x2(1,263)=4.01,p=0.05).

Discussion There are 47% person report cross time which not enough, that mean they cross road hurried. The older have more problem than young on the walking. The pedestrian was majority conflicts.

Conclusion The older adult felt that on the crosswalk was to long. The older has perceptive difficult and walk problem. 93 person report increase time, the older is the most group with 50%.

Conclusion Older adults walking speed slower than young. The older more difficult than young in the crossing road. Pedestrian was the majority pedestrian- vehicle conflicts.