Journal article
The influence of carrying a backpack on college student pedestrian safety
Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.41(2), pp.352-356
03/01/2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2009.01.002
PMID: 19245896
Abstract
University students walk frequently, and individuals ages 18-22 have among the highest rates of pedestrian injury among any age group in the United States. These injuries are caused by a wide range of individual, interpersonal, and environmental factors, but one factor that has not been previously considered carefully is the influence of wearing a heavy backpack on pedestrian safety. Backpacks are known to slow walking speed and disrupt perception of one's environment, so it is reasonable to question whether they might also influence safe pedestrian behavior. Ninety-six college students engaged in 20 street-crossings within a virtual pedestrian environment. Half the crossings were completed while bearing a backpack weighing 12% of their body weight; the other half were completed without any burdens. Results suggest that participants walked more slowly, left less safe time to spare after crossing the virtual street, and experienced more frequent hits or close calls with traffic when crossing while carrying the backpack. They also missed fewer safe opportunities to cross while carrying the backpack. Our tests of several demographic characteristics, pedestrian behaviors, and backpack use, as covariates suggest the finding holds across all subsamples included in our study. Implications for pedestrian safety and future research are discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The influence of carrying a backpack on college student pedestrian safety
- Creators
- David C. Schwebel - University of Alabama at BirminghamDanielle Dulion Pitts - University of Alabama at BirminghamDespina Stavrinos - University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.41(2), pp.352-356
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.aap.2009.01.002
- PMID
- 19245896
- NLM abbreviation
- Accid Anal Prev
- ISSN
- 0001-4575
- eISSN
- 1879-2057
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 5
- Grant note
- R49CE000191 / NATIONAL CENTER FOR INJURY PREVENTION AND CONTROL; United States Department of Health & Human Services; Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - USA R49/CE000191 / NCIPC CDC HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/01/2009
- Academic Unit
- Research Administration
- Record Identifier
- 9984949191202771
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