Modelling the utilization rates of pedestrian crosswalks

Area of Science:

• Traffic Engineering
• Urban Planning
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Zebra crossings are vital for pedestrian safety on busy roads, aiming to reduce accidents.
• Despite past research, pedestrian perceptions and preferences for zebra crossings remain unchanged.
• Contemporary studies utilize models to assess pedestrian zebra crossing usage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze factors influencing pedestrian zebra crossing utilization rates.
• To develop a zebra crossing utilization model using regression techniques.
• To identify key variables affecting pedestrian crossing behavior.

Main Methods:

• Collected 450 samples from 12 diverse locations (schools, public buildings, residential, business areas).
• Employed Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model with pedestrian utilization rate (PUR) as the dependent variable.
• Analyzed significance at a 95% confidence interval.

Main Results:

• The calibrated R2 value was 0.937, indicating a strong model fit.
• MLR test statistics (t and p-values) were within acceptable ranges.
• Guardrail presence, number of lanes, and zebra crossing width significantly impacted utilization.

Conclusions:

• Guardrails, number of lanes, and zebra crossing width are the most influential factors for pedestrian crossing utilization.
• Identified key variables can inform improvements to pedestrian facilities.
• Findings are expected to enhance pedestrian safety infrastructure in Malaysia.