Analysis of Pedestrian Crossing Behavior at Unsignalized Crossings in Rome, Italy

The present study provides empirical evidence of pedestrian risk behaviour at an unsignalized mid-block crossing in Rome. It measures the level of unsafe crossing practices and shows that approximately one third of pedestrians crossed without looking in both directions and almost one quarter were distracted by mobile phones. The study also adds an age-related dimension, showing that young pedestrians are disproportionately affected by mobile phone distraction and that unsafe crossing behaviours increase significantly during peak hours.

An important result of the study is the strong impact of the group size on the pedestrian behaviour. Pedestrians in larger groups were significantly less likely to assess traffic conditions independently, showing a tendency toward herd-like behaviour. To summarise, the findings suggest that behavioural and situational factors are stronger predictors of pedestrian risk than demographic characteristics.