A field experiment investigated factors expected to influence yielding by motorists to a pedestrian waiting to cross a city street. Subjects consisted of 604 motorists who passed through two marked crosswalks. Motorists were significantly more likely to stop for a disabled pedestrian using a cane that a non-disabled pedestrian without a cane. This study also evaluated the impact of a `fatality sign' erected before one of the crossings. While the fatality sign by itself had no significant effect on motorists yielding, there was a strong interactive effect of the sign and the disability manipulation. Thus, the greatest levels of motorists yielding occurred for subjects who were exposed to the fatality sign and the disabled pedestrian. In constrast, the lowest level of yielding occured at the fatality-marked crossing for a non-disabled pedestrian. (A)
Abstract