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One of the possible preventive measures that could improve safety at crossings is to assess the state of illumination of the lighting installation located in the transition area for pedestrians. The City of Warsaw has undertaken to comprehensively assess the pedestrian crossings to determine the level of road safety and the condition of lighting. T...
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... research on the lighting of pedestrian crossings in Warsaw was carried out with the use of the illumination parameters described in the standard [8] that were adopted in the measurement geometry. Figure 2 shows the basic geometry of pedestrian crossings, indicating the directions of traffic and the points of measurement of light intensity. To study the state of the lighting of pedestrian crossings in field conditions grid points in the planes Eh (plane of the road on which there is a transition together with the expectations for the area -points from 1 to 30) and Ev (the vertical plane passing through the axis of pedestrian crossings that defines lighting figure a pedestrian with the viewing direction associated with the direction of traffic -points 31 to 50) were adopted. ...
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The Fiji Government have set a target of reducing the number of fatal crashes per 10,000 vehicles by half during the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2010 to 2020). The National Road Safety Action Plan includes a number of initiatives across Government that look to produce safer roads, safer drivers and safer vehicles. The Fiji Road...
Citations
... The project helped us to test and optimise the method at different types of pedestrian crossings in urban areas: on single carriageways with and without a refuge island, dual carriageways and at traffic lights [43]. Studies of Poland's pedestrian crossings also analyse night-time luminance depending on road lighting [44,45]. A safety assessment of non-signalised pedestrian crossings showed that many drivers exceed the applicable speed limits [46]. ...
Citation: Budzynski, M.; Gobis, A.; Guminska, L.; Jelinski, L.; Kiec, M.; Tomczuk, P. Assessment of the Influence of Road Infrastructure Abstract: Pedestrians are participants and, most likely, fatalities in every third road traffic accident in Poland. Over 30% of all fatalities on Polish roads are pedestrians. Accidents with pedestrians are very often the result of various factors related to the infrastructure and behaviour of pedestrians and drivers. The objective of the work was to assess driver and pedestrian behaviour in pedestrian crossing areas. The research also served as a pilot study for similar work to be conducted across Poland, and constituted the basis for monitoring the behaviour of road users in the area of pedestrian crossings. Parameters which must be analysed were identified on the basis of field studies. Principles of selecting test sites were adopted, and measurement methods for pedestrian crossing areas are presented. The influence of the location of the selected test cross-section infrastructure parameters on the behaviour of road users in pedestrian crossing areas is demonstrated. The results of the study will be used as a basis for new solutions involving pedestrian crossing infrastructure designed to improve pedestrian safety. The results were also used in formulating new regulations for the design and maintenance of pedestrian crossings and recommendations for road safety auditors.
... • Presence and condition of the horizontal and vertical traffic signs (visibility, clarity, recognizability and correct position of traffic signs); • Presence of the objects and elements obstructing visibility in the area of "good visibility" of pedestrian crossing (this area was established using the methodology and formulas provided in source [33]); • Location of pedestrian crossing in relation to the distances needed to ensure a safe intersection (these distances were established using the formulas provided in source [34]); • Lightening aspect of pedestrian crossing (it was evaluated on the basis of methodology described in source [35]). Figure 6 describes the relation between the level of visibility assigned to each pedestrian crossing and the percentage of pedestrians who used mobile phones/headphones during observations on weekdays (diamond sign) and weekends (round sign). ...
The topic of the use of mobile devices and headphones on pedestrian crossings is much less explored in comparison to the use of the mobile phone while driving. Recent years have seen many discussions on this issue, especially in foreign countries. The Slovak Republic, however, has not been giving it enough attention (and it is not mentioned in the National Road Safety Plan for the Slovak Republic from 2011 to 2020). This paper aims to draw attention to this issue. It presents basic outputs of a pilot study on pedestrian safety, with a focus on the use of mobile devices and headphones at selected non-signalized pedestrian crossings in three Slovak cities. Overall, 9% of pedestrians used headphones or mobile devices at observed pedestrian crossings (4% of them used headphones, 1% used headphones and at same time used their mobile phone, 2% made phone calls and 2% used their mobile phones). While these numbers can be considered relatively low, the study proved that during weekdays every 2 min someone was using the crossing without fully focusing on crossing the road safely. Another main finding was that although the safety risk at pedestrian crossings is increased by factors such as rush hour traffic or reduced visibility, pedestrian behavior related to the use of mobile phones and headphones does not change. A safety assessment was also carried out at the crossings. The results show that pedestrian behavior is not affected by the level of safety of the crossing (e.g., visibility of the crossing for drivers). The results of the presented analysis suggest that action is needed to change that. Due to the lack of information about accidents involving pedestrians using mobile phones and headsets when crossing the road, no relevant statistical data could be analyzed. The dataset collected can be used as a basis for further investigation or comparisons with other countries of the relevant indicators. In future work, we would like to include a pedestrian– driver interaction factor focusing on driver speed behavior in relation to pedestrians (who are on or are about to step onto a pedestrian crossing) and identify critical situations caused by improper behavior of drivers and/or pedestrians. This will help to understand speed adjustment problems related to pedestrian crossings.
... Pedestrian visibility on a pedestrian crossing was found to be the decisive factor of their safety. This suggests the need for properly selecting and designing lighting [14]. Work on the textbook "Pedestrian Safety" [15] included pilot in-the-field tests to collect more reliable data. ...
Pedestrians represent more than 30% of all of Poland’s road traffic fatalities. This is much higher than the EU average (about 20%). Pedestrian accidents are usually the result of a complex situation and a number of contributing factors involving road users, the road and roadside and the vehicle. Pedestrian accidents are caused by road user error (drivers and pedestrians) and wrong planning and design. Poorly maintained road infrastructure is also a very frequent cause.The objective of the work was to identify risks for pedestrians that involve road infrastructure and roadside and to define how selected elements of geometry and traffic layout affect driver behaviour (speed on approaching pedestrian crossings). The results have helped to formulate recommendations on pedestrian crossing design. The research included an analysis of 2013-2017 statistics to identify the circumstances and causes of pedestrian accidents. Field work at about 2,000 unsignalized pedestrian crossings was the basis for assessing the safety of these crossings. Assessment criteria were selected and a safety classification was made with specific recommendations made for possible treatments. More field work was designed to measure speeds near pedestrian crossings in three cases: no pedestrians in the crossing area, a pedestrian is approaching a crossing, a pedestrian is waiting to cross the road. The study was conducted in different areas (city, transit roads passing through small towns, non-built-up areas) for different cross-sections (one carriageway and two lanes –1x2, two carriageways with two or three lanes each –2x2, 2x3, one carriageway and four lanes –1x4). The study also looked at speed limits –50 and 70 km/h. The share of drivers giving way to pedestrians waiting to cross was also assessed. Pedestrians were surveyed and asked about how safe they feel crossing the road. The survey also asked drivers about driver behaviour and use of speed management measures.Statistical analyses show the circumstances and causes of pedestrian accidents. These include driving across a pedestrian crossing illegally,pedestrians stepping onto the road abruptly, night-time, excessive speed and others. Pedestrian crossings are the site of more than 30% pedestrian fatalities which shows the need for treatments. By assessing the hazards caused by road infrastructure near and at pedestrian crossings, the following hazards could be identified: limited sight-distance, poor illumination, excessive speed and no means of speed management, wrong geometry (length of crossing, number of traffic lanes), technical condition of the road and signage. Speed tests near pedestrian crossings show that some 40% of drivers do not observe the speed limits in built-up areas (especially on sections of transit roads passing through small towns and on dual carriageways in urban areas) and 30% do not observe the speed limits on rural roads.
... The primary functional requirement for pedestrian lighting is to provide pedestrian visibility at the gangway and in the waiting or access area. It should be noted that the object distinguished from its surroundings and well perceived by the driver must be pedestrian and not pedestrian crossing infrastructure [10,14,24]. ...
... By 2017, the International Commission on Illumination (IIC) of the CIE had not made explicit quantitative recommendations on the level of pedestrian lighting. Existing quality records are indirectly discussed in publications concerning road lighting [4,22,23,24]. The guidelines contained in CIE Publication 115 of 2010 [6], which is an update of the 1995 report, set out the most important recommendations concerning road lighting. ...
... And the precisely defined dimensions of the measurement grid ensure that the pedestrian crossing area is illuminated with the right lighting geometry. The introduction and maintenance of appropriate measurement grids at all stages of the investment project allows for the verification of the designed lighting solution at the stage of investment acceptance and for the systematic control of the installation at the stage of operation [10,24]. ...
For many years now in Poland there has been a large number of road accidents at pedestrian crossings during night periods [5, 11]. One of the technical solutions that can improve this condition is the use of proper lighting for pedestrian crossings. The designated pedestrian crossing should be visible in different weather conditions and at different times of the day. In case of night vision restrictions use artificial lighting of pedestrian crossings. At the same time, lighting of pedestrian crossings should ensure: proper conditions for the driver to recognise the traffic situation and observe the pedestrian's silhouette, and for the pedestrian to observe the surroundings, pedestrian crossings and upcoming vehicles. The article gives an opinion on the proposal of lighting requirements for dedicated luminaires, realizing positive luminance contrast, used in the area of pedestrian crossings together with the proposed measurement grids. Quantitative requirements have been formulated taking into account the gradation of lighting classes resulting from the current lighting standard.
Lighting pedestrian crossings play an important role in ensuring the safety of pedestrians on the road, especially at night or in conditions of reduced visibility. Currently functioning normative and formal requirements, which are the basis for the design of lighting for pedestrian crossings, are described by criteria of lighting intensity. Each of the existing solutions operates in an urban environment, and at the stage of design and operation, the obtained values of the produced luminance contrast of the pedestrian silhouette and its background are not known. The main purpose of the article is to compare, based on luminance parameters, the three lighting solutions used at pedestrian crossings. This article presents and describes the method of determining the luminance contrast based on luminance measurements of the pedestrian silhouette and its background. Detailed results of measurements of luminance parameters at selected pedestrian crossings are presented. An analysis of the results was made with a breakdown of typical lighting solutions used in urban conditions. The differences between standard lighting were discussed, as well as supplementary and dedicated lighting. The obtained ranges of luminance contrast levels occurring in urban conditions for individual solutions were determined. The energy indicator for each solution was determined.
The use of popular brain–computer interfaces (BCI) to analyze signals and the behavior of brain activity is a very current problem that is often undertaken in various aspects by many researchers. This comparison turns out to be particularly useful when studying the flows of information and signals in the human-machine-environment system, especially in the field of transportation sciences. This article presents the results of a pilot study of driver behavior with the use of a proprietary simulator based on Virtual Reality technology. The study uses the technology of studying signals emitted by the human mind and its specific zones in response to given environmental factors. A solution based on virtual reality with the limitation of external stimuli emitted by the real world was proposed, and computational analysis of the obtained data was performed. The research focused on traffic situations and how they affect the subject. The test was attended by representatives of various age groups, both with and without a driving license. This study presents an original functional model of a research stand in VR technology that we designed and built. Testing in VR conditions allows to limit the influence of undesirable external stimuli that may distort the results of readings. At the same time, it increases the range of road events that can be simulated without generating any risk for the participant. In the presented studies, the BCI was used to assess the driver's behavior, which allows for the activity of selected brain waves of the examined person to be registered. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to study the activity of brain and its response to stimuli coming from the Virtual Reality created environment. Electrical activity detection is possible thanks to the use of electrodes placed on the skin in selected areas of the skull. The structure of the proprietary test-stand for signal and information flow simulation tests, which allows for the selection of measured signals and the method of parameter recording, is presented. An important part of this study is the presentation of the results of pilot studies obtained in the course of real research on the behavior of a car driver.
The night time, based on many world studies, generates an increased risk of serious accidents (with fatalities and serious injuries). This is especially true for accidents with pedestrians. Pedestrian crossings are very sensitive to the influence of the time of day in terms of pedestrian safety, elements of road infrastructure. This is visible on the example of Poland, where numerous accidents at crosswalks are recorded, characterized by high severity at night. Road infrastructure managers take corrective actions to improve this condition. An example of such work is the Road Safety Audit (RSA), initiated in 2016 by the Municipal Roads Management Board in Warsaw. The analyses carried out by the authors, among others, in the years 2016-2019, included pedestrian crossings without traffic lights located on roads managed by ZDM (Municipal Roads Authority) in twelve districts: Bemowo, Bielany, Mokotów, Ochota, Praga Południe, Praga Północ, Śródmieście, Targówek, Ursynów, Wawer, Włochy, Żoliborz. The assessment was carried out in terms of the correct lighting of these passages, traffic organization, geometry and environmental impact. The main aim of the article is to present a methodology for evaluating the technical condition of road lighting infrastructure on a large scale (e.g. district, city). The article discusses the general and detailed state of pedestrian safety in Poland against the background of research conducted in Warsaw. The procedure of inspection and assessment of the state of lighting of pedestrian crossings is described and selected results are presented. On the basis of a detailed analysis of the results of individual pedestrian crossings, the general condition of the tested crossings was assessed and recommendations were indicated. An attempt was made to assess the influence of pedestrian crossings lighting on the general state of road safety. A critical evaluation of the obtained effects was made. The utilitarian aim of the article is to apply the described methodology in other cities and to use the results of the conducted analyses to plan and implement road investments in the field of modernization of lighting at pedestrian crossings on a large scale.
