Pedestrian Safety Practitioners’ Perspectives of Driver Yielding Behavior across Zhejiang

This study presents results from a recent internet survey of pedestrian safety practitioners about their perceptions of driver yielding behavior in cities throughout Zhejiang province. Combining perceptions of local driver yielding rates in three different crosswalk scenarios with open-ended comments to understand factors that may influence yielding behavior, this study attempts to understand driver and pedestrian interactions from a macro perspective. Responses from 327 practitioners in 11 cities suggest that rates of yielding to pedestrians in marked crosswalks are related to characteristics such as social norms, roadway design, law enforcement, and pedestrian volumes. Respondents generally indicated that drivers are more likely to yield on roadways with fewer lanes and slower speeds. However, results also suggest notable geographic differences in yielding culture. The paper concludes with a conceptual framework for future research on driver yielding as it relates to driving and walking habits, local culture, roadway design, traffic laws, and enforcement.