METHOD OF EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE PERCEIVED SECURITY BY THE PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD SAFETY

• Grant number: 24/10673-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Transportation Engineering - Transportation Planning
• Principal Investigator: Ana Paula Camargo Larocca
• Grantee: Lara Reis Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Walking is the most basic and fundamental mode of transport and with the greatest interactivity between the individual and the built environment. However, there are two factors that affect the choice of this mode of transport: perceived security, related to protection against crime, and road safety, associated with protection against risks or injuries in traffic. Research has shown that the characteristics of the built environment impact security, which can influence the behavior of pedestrians and other road users and affect their safety in traffic, especially in developing countries. In this context, the main objective of the research is to propose a method that allows evaluating the role of the perceived security by pedestrians and its contribution to the road safety of these users, with a case study in an urban area in the municipality of São Carlos (SP). The materials and methods are presented through four general stages: (i) bibliographic review; (ii) case study in an urban area, with the application of eye-tracking and Linear Mixed Model (LMM) and use of Geographic Information System (GIS); (iii) systematization and hierarchization of public factors and policies, using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); and (iv) estimation of the causal effects, with an integrated approach of causal inference and weighted logistic regression. This investigation is expected to identify underlying factors behind the risk of pedestrians being run over and how such factors impact the behavior of these users before and during crossing urban roads, providing new perspectives for transport planning. The scientific relevance of the research is justified by the unprecedented investigation of the perceived security through the characteristics of the built environment and the road safety as associated factors.