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<br /> 9 <br />Finally, Van Houten studied factors that might cause motorists to yield for pedestrians in marked <br />crosswalks.(15) He measured several behaviors at intersections in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where <br />interventions were introduced sequentially to increase the “vividness” of crosswalks. Researchers added <br />signs, then a stop line, and then amber lights activated by pedestrians and displayed to motorists. The <br />percentage of vehicles stopping when they should increased by up to 50 percent. Conflicts dropped from <br />50 percent to about 10 percent at one intersection, and from 50 percent to about 25 percent at another. <br />The number of motorists who yielded increased from about 25 percent to 40 percent at one intersection, <br />and from about 35 percent to about 45 percent at another.(15) <br /> <br />Behavioral Studies Related to Crosswalk Signs and Other Treatments <br /> <br />The preceding discussion of the literature has dealt primarily with the safety and behavioral effects of <br />marked versus unmarked crosswalks at uncontrolled intersections. Of course, a wide variety of <br />supplemental measures have been used with or without marked crosswalks at pedestrian crossing <br />locations in the United States. Examples of these treatments include: <br /> <br />• Pedestrian warning signs on the approach and/or at the crossing. <br /> <br />• Advance stop lines with supplemental signs (e.g., “Stop Here for Crosswalk”). <br /> <br />• Rumble strips on the approaches to the crosswalk. <br /> <br />• Pedestrian crossing pavement stencils on the approach to the crosswalk. <br /> <br />• In-pavement flashing lights (activated by push-button or by automatic pedestrian detectors). <br /> <br />• Flashing beacons. <br /> <br />• Variations of overhead pedestrian crosswalk signs. Such signs may be warning or regulatory and <br />may be illuminated and/or convey a message when activated (examples of such signs are shown in <br />figures 5–10). <br /> <br />• Crosswalk lighting. <br /> <br />• Raised medians or refuge islands. <br /> <br />• Flat-topped speed humps (sometimes called speed tables) where pedestrians may cross the street on <br />the raised flat top. <br /> <br />• Traffic-calming measures such as curb extensions and lane reductions. <br /> <br />• Various combinations of these and other measures. <br /> <br />• Traffic signals (with pedestrian signals) are sometimes added at pedestrian crossings when warranted. <br /> <br />Numerous research studies have been conducted in the United States and abroad in recent years to <br />evaluate such treatments and/or to summarize research results. Some of these include: <br /> <br />• A Review of Pedestrian Safety Research in the United States and Abroad.(16) <br /> <br />• Pedestrian Safety in Sweden (www.walkinginfo.org/rd/international.htm).(17)