Pedestrians walking speed

R.L. Knoblauch, M.T. Pietrucha, M. Nitzburg, Field studies of pedestrian walking speed and start-up time, Transp. Res. Rec. 1538 (2006) 27—38. 

Bowman, B. L. and R. L. Vecellio (1995). Pedestrian walking speeds and conflicts at urban median locations. Transportation Res. Record, 1438,67-73. 

The egress time computedimderNFPA 130 requirements does not consider human factors such as panic or initial disorientation and decision-making time moreover, the walking speeds and egress element capacities used in NFPA 130 are fixed values, not dependent by the pedestrian density levels. It is, however, well established that pedestrian flow rates, and thus walking speed, vary considerably according to density levels. 

Description Most pedestrian accidents occur when the pedestrian walks onto a roadway and into the path of an approaching vehicle. Pedestrians often misjudge the speed and closeness of a commercial motor vehicle. Pedestrians assume you can and will slow down for them. Pedestrians think that because they can see you, you can see them. These kinds of errors in judgment are why pedestrian accidents fi equently occur. Drivers should try to anticipate pedestrians making such errors and be prepared to compensate. 

T.J. Gates, D.A. Noyce, A.R. BiU, V. Nathanael, Recommended walking speeds for pedestrian clearance timing based on pedestrian characteristics, in TRB 2006 Annual Meeting, 2006. Paper No. 06—1826. 

From the perspective of the design engineer, the most important aspect of pedestrian behavior is the street crossing speed. As people age their walking speed decreases and they need more time to cross the road. Unlike car drivers, whose speed is directly related to the likelihood and severity of a crash, in the case of pedestrians, their slow speed only increases their exposure to injury. It is therefore important to know at what speeds people cross streets, and what variables affect these speeds. 

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