Both pedestrian hybrid beacons and rectangular rapid flashing beacons have been shown to reduce ...
[+] pedestrian crashes, but in a new study, researchers compared behavior at the two different types of crosswalks to assess how real-world pedestrians used them. Signals that allow pedestrians to cross at busy roads by pressing a button that activates red lights that cycle through warning phases before alerting drivers to stop – pedestrian hybrid beacons – are effective at getting drivers to yield, but many walkers don’t use them. In contrast, pedestrians are more likely to activate signals that flash immediately and instruct drivers to yield as soon as they press the button - rectangular rapid flashing beacons – even though they’re less effective at getting drivers to stop.
Those are the main findings of new research released on Wednesday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , a nonprofit financed by the insurance industry. “It’s well-documented that both of these common pedestrian warning signals make drivers more likely to yield and allow walkers to cross the street safely,” David Harkey, the Insurance Institute’s president, said in a statement. “But they can only do that if pedestrians push the button to activate them.
” Both pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) have been shown to reduce pedestrian crashes, but researchers sought to compare behavior at the two different types of crosswalks to assess h.
