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Interaction Between The Motorist and Pedestrian at Selected Unsignalised Crossings in Bangladesh: A Case Study
Interaction Between The Motorist and Pedestrian at Selected Unsignalised Crossings in Bangladesh: A Case Study
Abstract
In urban transportation, pedestrians form an integral part, and in a country like
Bangladesh, they may also be the most vulnerable. The interaction between the
motorist and the pedestrian at a crossing without signals plays an important role
in traffic safety. The interaction between these two groups of people (motorists
and pedestrians) is quite different in developing countries compared to
developed countries. In order to increase the safety of road users, the attitudes of
these two groups of people about crossings need to be known. In this study, a
zebra crossing without signal in front of Tejgaon Thana near Farmgate area was
chosen. Video recording was used to collect data in order to obtain a detailed
description of the interaction between motorists and pedestrians. A
questionnaire survey was also carried out among these two groups of people to
better understand their attitudes about the crossing. The results of this study are
quite alarming, it was found that there is a substantial gap between what people
think about the crossings and what they actually do. The findings of this study
suggest that a significant awareness program about the usage of crossings needs
to be implemented in order to ensure traffic safety.
INTRODUCTION
The road section selected for this study is located between the intersections of
BijoySarani and Farmgate. The zebra crossing without signals was in front of the
Tejgaon Thana near the Farmgate area (Fig 1). Traffic speed was mostly in the
range of 60-70 km/h, and there were no warning signs for the drivers preceding
the crossings. However, the road markings were clearly illustrated with black
and white thermoplastic strips. Pedestrians waiting to cross the road can be seen
clearly by drivers on either side of the roadway. The width of the roadway was
measured to be 12m on each side, and it was a two way road. Video recording
was used in order to capture a more detailed description of the interactions
between drivers and pedestrians. The camera was focused on the crossings in
such a way that the entire length of the crossings, waiting islands on either side,
and a distance of about 30 m roadway were in the camera view.
The data was collected for three hours on a working day from 9.00am to
12.00pm. To describe the behavior of the drivers at the crossings, the procedures
followed in Ibrahim et al (2005) are also used in this study. Three distinct
situations were observed. First, pedestrians waited to cross on the island, while
none of the approaching vehicles stopped. Second, vehicles stopped to give way
to pedestrians. Third, pedestrians crossed the road in spite of the approaching
vehicles, thus forcing drivers to stop. Data was collected from two types of
pedestrians: ones who used the zebra crossings and ones who did not use the
zebra crossing, but instead crossed the roads very close (less than 5m) to the
zebra crossing. The speed of the pedestrians crossing the road was collected, and
comparisons were also made between the male and female drivers and
pedestrians. In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted in order to find
out the drivers’ and pedestrians’ opinions of the crossings and their perception of
what they actually do. A total of 100 questionnaires (Appendix A) were
distributed amongst the drivers, asking them about their course of action when
approaching a crossing without signals. A total of 100 questionnaires were also
distributed amongst the pedestrians to find out their attitudes towards zebra
crossings.
Crossing
(a) (b)
Figure 1. (a) Unsignalised crossing in front of Tejgaon Thana (photo courtesy
Google Inc.) (b) Pedestrian using crossing to cross the road
OBSERVATION
The questionnaires as well as the video recordings were used to discover the
disparity between what the pedestrians’ and drivers’ perceptions of the function
of the crossing and their actual function. The questionnaire surveys asked both
the pedestrians and the drivers whether they understood zebra crossings and
whether they knew who has the right of way. The video recorded the actual
behavior of the pedestrians and drivers at the crossings. This section describes
the findings from these two observations.
Drivers and pedestrians are both integral part of the urban transportation system.
Interactions between these two groups of road users are a key concern of
transport safety, especially in crossing without signals. For better traffic safety,
decision makers should take into account the interactions between drivers and
pedestrians. In order to get a proper insight into the behavior of drivers and
pedestrians towards each other, crossings without signals was selected and video
recorded for three hours. A questionnaire survey was also carried out to get
insight about the perceptions and opinions of these two groups of road users. In
this study, it was found that about 88% of drivers recognize zebra crossings and
67% know who gets right of way at crossings. However, from the recordings, it
was found that hardly any driver was willing to stop to give the pedestrians right
of way. This indicates that there is a large disparity between what people
perceive as the correct course of action and what they actually do. The survey
indicates that 89% of the pedestrian recognize zebra crossings, yet, from the
recordings, it was found that only 45% of pedestrians used the crossing properly.
This also indicates that there is a large gap between what people think is correct
and what they actually do.
The authors believe that the findings of this study are alarming. There is
an urgent need for a significant awareness program to be implemented. The
authors also believe that those with the authority to make decision should
immediately launch a public awareness program using all the media to reach and
teach the people about their rights and the proper use of crossings. A small
chapter about the traffic rules and regulation may also be added as part of the
curricular at the primary level education.
REFERENCES