01624601

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2661-09

Walking requires paying attention to the surrounding environment to ensure safe maneuvers. Walkers engaging in multitask activities such as texting, calling, listening to music, snacking, and reading while walking have detrimental effects on safety similar to those experienced with distracted drivers. Because this is an emerging problem, few data have been collected to assess the negative impact of distracted walking on safety. The present survey was conducted to collect information on distracted walking by college students. The objectives were to estimate the extent of distracting activities of college pedestrians and to assess the perception of the safety problem of college pedestrians while walking. The survey was sent to the potential student population of 5,000 by Survey Monkey at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, and 297 surveys were completed. The results indicated that about 55% of respondents always checked their electronic devices while walking. Further, about 4% of the respondents reported that they or their immediate family members sustained injuries resulting from distracted walking. More important, approximately 53% of the respondents had seen near crashes resulting from pedestrians engaging in distracting activities while walking. In this survey, males engaged more in distracting activities than females. About 70% of females perceived that distracted walking had become a problem, compared with 30% of males. The most common proposed interventions by the respondents to curb distracted walking include education, outreach programs, citations, and legislation.

01650112

17-05616

English

pp 76–83

2017

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309441940

Digital/other

Figures (2) ; References (19) ; Tables (6)

Behavior; College students; Distraction; Females; Injuries; Males; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrians; Smartphones

Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 8 2016 12:14PM

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• Comparison of Analytical Methods on Staged Pedestrian Crossings at Crosswalks with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon
• Comparison of Time-Proximity and Evasive Action Conflict Measures: Case Studies from Five Cities
• Estimating Pedestrian Exposure for Small Urban and Rural Areas
• Evaluation of North Carolina Adaptation of NHTSA’s Child Pedestrian Safety Curriculum
• Factors Affecting Driver Yielding Compliance at Uncontrolled Midblock Crosswalks on Low-Speed Roadways
• Introducing the Pedestrian Accessibility Tool: Walkability Analysis for a Geographic Information System
• Measuring Walking Accessibility in Metropolitan Areas
• Real-World Demonstrations of Novel Pedestrian Crosswalk Lighting
• The Missing Middle: Filling the Gap Between Walkability and Observed Walking Behavior
• Using Embodied Videos of Walking Interviews in Walkability Assessment
• Validation of an Agent-Based Microscopic Pedestrian Simulation Model at a Scramble Phase Signalized Intersection
• Wayfinding Problems for Blind Pedestrians at Noncorner Crosswalks: Novel Solution