Media Contacts:
Fairley Mahlum
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Allison Soule
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AAA Foundation Study Finds Many Traffic Signals
Can Not Accommodate Older Pedestrians
September 19, 2007, WASHINGTON, DC— A study released today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that traffic signals, in many cases, do not allow enough time for aging pedestrians to cross the street. In several communities researched, if a signal was timed according to the current edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices(MUTCD)—the manual that provides Federal standards for all traffic control devices—more than 15 percent of older pedestrians would not have enough time to cross the street.
In April 2006, Mavis Cole, an 82-year-old resident of Los Angeles, CA, received a $114 citation for obstructing traffic when she did not cross an intersection fast enough while using a cane and carrying a bag of groceries. In addition to the ticket, Cole was also scolded by police. This research addresses the needs of older pedestrians, and pedestrians of any age, who cannot walk at “standard” walking speeds.
The AAA Foundation commissioned researchers at the Institute of Transportation Engineers and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. to analyze pedestrians crossing the street in six communities across the United States. Right now, one in eight Americans fall into the age bracket of 65 years or older, and the U.S. Census Bureau predicts this to increase to one in five by around 2030. The study concluded that older pedestrians—defined in this study as those aged 65 years and older—tended to walk at least half a foot per second slower than their younger counterparts, and in some places much slower than that. For a busy, six-lane urban street, or a four-lane street with on-street parking, this would mean that an older pedestrian would still have almost another full lane to cross compared to a younger counterpart who would have made it safely across in the allotted time. The MUTCD is scheduled for revision in 2009. This study provides substantial new research findings that should be considered in that revision.
Researchers also performed computer-based traffic simulations to find out whether signal timing could be modified to better accommodate older pedestrians. In most instances, researchers found that modifying the signal timing could be done without causing excessive delays in motor vehicular traffic. At the most congested intersections, modifying signal timing would be more difficult. More research is needed to determine exactly when, where, and how this can and should be done, but these initial results show that the question deserves further attention.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers is an international educational and scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. ITE facilitates the application of technology and scientific principles to research, planning, functional design, implementation, operation, policy development and management for any mode of transportation. Through its products and services, ITE promotes professional development of its members, supports and encourages education, stimulates research, develops public awareness programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional information.
Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an independent, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. The report “Pedestrian Signal Safety for Older Persons,” is available online at www.aaafoundation.org.
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