Street Crossing by Sighted and Blind Pedestrians at a Modern Roundabout

Abstract

Pedestrian behavior and safety at roundabouts are not well understood, particularly for pedestrians with sensory or mobility impairments. A previous study in which participants indicated when they would cross suggested that blind pedestrians miss more crossing opportunities and make riskier judgments than sighted pedestrians. The present study replicated these findings and analyzed actual street crossings. Six blind and six sighted pedestrians negotiated a double-lane urban roundabout under high and low traffic volumes. Blind participants waited three times longer to cross than sighted participants. About 6% of the blind participants’ crossing attempts were judged dangerous enough to require intervention, compared to none for sighted pedestrians. Drivers yielded frequently on the entry lanes but not the exit lanes. Sighted participants accepted drivers’ yields, whereas blind participants rarely did so. Blind-sighted differences are interpreted in terms of auditory access to information about traffic, and policy implications are discussed regarding accessibility of transportation systems.