Investigating nighttime driver behaviors and interactions at pedestrian Hybrid Beacons

Abstract

Pedestrian safety remains a critical concern globally and in the United States. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs) at marked crosswalks have been effective in increasing driver-yielding rates and reducing pedestrian crashes. However, nighttime driver behaviors and social interactions at PHBs, e.g., imitating the behavior of peer drivers, have remained understudied in the post-pandemic context. This study investigates nighttime driver behaviors and explores empirical evidence of social interactions at PHBs following the pandemic. Driver behaviors are collected from videos from four PHB locations in Pima County, Arizona. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression models are used to reveal drivers’ non-compliance rates and interactions with pedestrians and peer vehicles at PHBs at night. Results indicate that 94% to 97% of drivers stopped during the steady red phase of PHBs at night and compliance dropped further to 53% during the flashing red phase. Compared to initial drivers in a platoon approaching during the steady red phase, those approaching during the flashing red phase were approximately 3.6 times more likely to fail to stop. Among leading-following pairs in a platoon (excluding the first vehicles), 50% to 83% of following drivers mimicked the leading vehicle’s behavior, even when the leading driver violated traffic laws. At intersections with a speed limit of 25 mph, 41.7% of drivers resumed travel during the flashing red phase, even when pedestrians were in the crosswalk. These findings provide critical insights into nighttime driver behaviors and social interactions at PHBs. The results can inform improvements in PHB design, implementation, and pedestrian crossing treatments.