Evaluation of a community-based intervention to prevent pedestrian injury

Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of comprehensive pedestrian safety interventions in changing the behaviors of drivers and pedestrians to promote safety. New and better quality research is needed to examine the effectiveness of theory-driven interventions that include both educational and enforcement components, such as the Watch for Me NC program implemented in North Carolina.  The purpose of this effort was to estimate the effects of the Watch for Me NC law enforcement program on driver behavior, specifically driver yielding rates at crosswalks. A total of 24,941 drivers were observed in 11,817 crossing events at 16 crosswalks in five municipalities that implemented the Watch for Me NC program over a 6-month time period. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were developed to estimate driver yielding rates, accounting for repeated sampling at the crossing sites and other factors related to driver behaviors. Results indicate that driver yielding rates measured before and after the Watch for Me NC program was conducted were largely static at standard enforcement sites but improved slightly (between 4 and 7% on average) at sites receiving enhanced enforcement as part of the Watch for Me NC program. Several other variables, including characteristics of the roadway, the crosswalk, and time of day, were also found to have a significant relationship with driver yielding rates. This study provides new evidence of the factors associated with driver yielding behaviors that could be used by health practitioners and transportation agencies in developing policies and behavioral or environmental interventions to prevent pedestrian-related crashes and injuries.