Mid-Block Crossing Behavior: A Study of Pedestrians and Vehicles Interaction Along Urban Streets in Malaysia

Walid A Al Bargi^1*, Basil David Daniel², Mohamed M Muftah³

1. ¹²Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Beg Berkunci 101, 86400 Parit Raja Batu Pahat Johor, Malaysia
2. ³Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia

Published in The Third NZAAR International Event Series on Natural and Built Environment, Cities, Sustainability and Advanced Engineering, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 15 July 2017, pages 49 to 59. New Zealand Academy of Applied Research. ISSN 2463-5979 (online), 2463-5960 (print). Indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, Conference Proceedings Citation Index (Clarivate).

Abstract

Gap acceptance behavior of pedestrian is significant to Safety and crash of pedestrian. The issue of gap acceptance by pedestrians is relevant for road safety. It is novel to analyze the gap acceptance behavior and the effects of selected factors based on observation survey. Many studies examined the mid-block crossing behavior of pedestrians in the developed country. In contrast, this study is one of the first to analyze and model the crossing choice behaviors of pedestrians within an entire Malaysia. However, the main aim of this paper is to investigate and model non-compliant pedestrians’ traffic gap acceptance at unsignalised pedestrian mid-block crossings in Malaysia. For this purpose, a field survey was carried out using videotaped data. Gaps size accepted, number and size of the rejected gaps are examined against pedestrians’ and traffic attributes, using statistical analysis ( SPSS.22) and modeling approach (Multiple linear Regression and Binary logit regression). In addition, Critical gap were determined using Raff’s method. The results reveled that seven factors that influence the pedestrian crosing behaviour in terms of accepted gap size in seconds. Results showed traffic speed, pedestrian waiting time, vehicle size, pedestrian gender, crossing distance, age group, and pedestrian number are the significant factors for accepted gap size of pedestrian in Batu Pahat. Pedestrian waiting time was found to have negative impact on gap size acceptance while the remaining factors showed positive influence on the gap size acceptance. In the development of crossing choice model in Batu Pahat, traffic speed, driver yield, pedestrian number and pedestrian age group are the significant influencer for pedestrian choice. Raff’s method result shows the critical gap size value is approximately 12.5 seconds, which is quite similar to reported in previous studies. These outcomes would be recommended to use in the evaluation of unprotected mid-block crosswalks and designing of new crosswalk facility in Malaysia..

Keywords: Pedestrian; Gap Acceptance; Multiple linear Regression; Binary logit regression; Critical Gap Raff’s method; mid-block; unprotected

Rights

Copyright © New Zealand Academy of Applied Research Ltd 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduced in the GDI Academy archive from the original proceedings without change to the authors’ text.