A comparison of safety benefits of pedestrian countdown signals with and without pushbuttons in Michigan

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study evaluated the safety impacts of pedestrian countdown signals (PCSs) with and without pushbuttons based on pedestrian crashes and pedestrian injuries in Michigan.

Methodology: This study used 10 years of intersection data—5 years before PCSs were installed and 5 years after they were installed—along with a comparison group, to evaluate the crash impacts of PCSs; at 107 intersections the PCS had a pushbutton and at 96 it did not. At these intersections, and at their comparison sites (where no PCS was installed), crash data (from 2004 to 2016) were examined, along with traffic and geometric characteristics, population, education, and poverty level data.

Results: Intersections where PCSs with pushbuttons have been installed showed a 29% reduction in total pedestrian crashes and a 30% reduction in fatal/injury pedestrian crashes. Further, when considering only pedestrians age 65 and below, these respective reductions are 33 and 35%. Intersections with PCSs but without pushbuttons did not show any significant change in any type of pedestrian crash.

Conclusions: Although the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Federal Highway Administration [FHWA] 2009) requires the use of PCSs at new traffic signal installations, this study suggests a safety benefit of installing PCSs with pushbutton at signals where a PCS without a pushbutton is present.

KEYWORDS:

• Pedestrian
• countdown
• signal
• pushbutton
• safety
• drivers

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the project manager, Kimberly Lariviere, and the Research Advisory Panel (Mark Bott, Paula Corlett, Jennifer Foley, David Morena, and Brett Scafuri) for their suggestions and constructive comments. In addition, we thank Michael Townley, the research manager, for his support. Finally, we thank Jeffrey Bagdade, Joyce Yassin, Andrew Ceifetz, and Ron Van Houten for their contribution to the research project.

Additional information

Funding

This study was partially funded by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) through a research project “Evaluation of Michigan's Engineering Improvements for Older Drivers.”