Research: pedestrians in high risk

94% of the pedestrians cross improperly in corners of streets with traffic lights

First part: Crossroads with traffic lights (red light forbidding crossing)

Situation of crossing	Total of pedestrians crossing	They cross properly	They go down to the road to try to cross although they can’t do it*	They cross with red light	They don’t cross through the corner or crosswalk
Street/street	544	6%	17%	48%	29%
Intersection between street and avenue	1119	16%	14%	61%	9%
Avenue	1259	52%	21%	16%	11%

* Most of them don’t cross because vehicles don’t allow them to do it.

We conclude that only 6% of the pedestrians cross properly in corners of streets with traffic lights, percentage that increases in crossroads of avenues, although, in this case, it must be taken into account that intense and constant traffic prevents, in real life, from crossing in avenues, which would explain a higher “forced” observance.
Therefore, the figures that we obtained show a very low rate of observance among pedestrians of the behaviors that are legally compulsory and basic for their safety, and we conclude that the first figure expresses, in an authentic way, the percentage of pedestrians that choose to be safe at street, as a priority.

Second part: Crossroads without traffic lights (pedestrians have priority)

Situation of crossing	Total of pedestrians crossing	They cross properly through the corner or crosswalk	They cross improperly*
Street/street	408	75%	25%
Intersection between street and avenue	185	72%	28%
Avenue	170	71%	29%

*In the case of crossroads at corners without traffic lights, we observe, apparently, a more frequent safer behaviour but it must be taken into account that most of people who cross through the corner do it as a part of their way since the corner is the linear continuation of the sidewalk they are walking through. That’s why it is very important and more significant the number of pedestrians who cross through any part of the block.

Research carried out in the City of Buenos Aires, from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 18:00 Hs, in August and September, 2011, with a total of 3685 pedestrians.