Driver behaviour in the presence of child and adult pedestrians

Abstract

Vehicle speeds were measured outside junior schools and their distance from the kerb recorded. Mean speed of all observed vehicles was 28·4 mph (45·7 km/h) with 36% travelling faster than the legal maximum of 30 mph (483 km/h). The presence of children by the roadside had no effect on either the speed or position in the road of unobstructed passing vehicles. However, a mean speed reduction of 1 mph (1·61 km/h) was observed when large groups of pedestrians (i.e. 10 or more) were present. These observations suggest that vehicle drivers are inadequately prepared for the unpredictable behaviour of child pedestrians. The implications of this lack of care are discussed in relation to road-user education.