Perception of Risk and Curb Standing at Street Corners by Older Pedestrians

The distances stood from passing traffic of 696 pedestrians waiting to cross signal-controlled intersections were observed. Previous research on elderly pedestrians suggested that the elderly are less perceptive of dangers in the traffic environment because of diminished cognitive abilities. In fact, observations established that older pedestrians were the safest age group, standing the farthest away from traffic. This was especially the case for the most at-risk group, older women. In addition, older pedestrians were the most able to discern greater risks of accidental injury under nighttime crossing conditions and to take appropriate safety precautions.