Descriptive and parametric analysis of pedestrian gap acceptance in mixed traffic conditions

Crossing is an inevitable part of walking in which the desired path of pedestrians conflicts with vehicular traffic. These conflicts can result in either delay or risk to the pedestrians. Due to insufficient designated crossing points on a highway or improper design, most pedestrians are forced to cross at random unpredictable locations. As such, they create confusion and risks to themselves, as well as to the drivers. Road accident statistics reveal that pedestrian injury and deaths are very high in India and improper gap acceptance during crossing is a major contributing factor. Gap acceptance data collected at 17 locations in five cities of India are analysed in this study to understand the variation in the gap acceptance behavior through descriptive and parametric analysis. Descriptive analysis provided central tendency, dispersion and distribution of gap acceptance data, whereas, parametric analysis resulted in identification of relationships between factors affecting accepted gap. Accepted gap was found decreasing with conflicting traffic and crossing speed of the pedestrians. It also found varying with change in number of lanes on the road to be crossed. Critical gap was estimated from accepted gap and crossing time distribution functions for varied traffic and spatial conditions.