Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Distracted Pedestrian Intervention

Abstract

Objective: Cellphone ubiquity has increased distracted pedestrian behavior and contributed to growing pedestrian injury rates. A major barrier to large-scale implementation of prevention programs is unavailable information on potential net monetary benefits. We evaluated net economic benefits of StreetBit, a program that reduces distracted pedestrian behavior by sending warnings from intersection-installed Bluetooth beacons to distracted pedestrians smartphones. Methods: Three data sources were used: (1) fatal, severe, non-severe pedestrian injury rates from Alabama electronic crash-reporting-system; (2) expected costs per fatal, severe, non-severe pedestrian injury, including medical cost, value of statistical life, work-loss cost, quality-of-life cost, from CDC; and (3) prevalence of distracted walking from extant literature. We computed and compared estimated monetary costs of distracted walking in Alabama and monetary benefits from implementing StreetBit to reduce pedestrian injuries at intersections. Results: Over 2019-2021, Alabama recorded an annual average of 31 fatal, 83 severe, and 115 non-severe pedestrian injuries in intersections. Expected costs/injury were $11 million, $339,535, and $93,877, respectively. The estimated range of distracted walking prevalence is 25%-40%, and StreetBit demonstrates 19.1% (95%CI: 1.6%-36.0%) reduction. These figures demonstrate potential annual cost savings from using interventions like StreetBit statewide ranging from $18.1-$29 million. Potential costs range from $3,208,600 (beacons at every-fourth urban intersection) to $6,359,200 (every other intersection). Conclusions: Even under the most parsimonious scenario (25% distracted pedestrians; densest beacon placement), StreetBit yields $11.8 million estimated net annual benefit. Existing data sources can be leveraged to predict net monetary benefits of distracted pedestrian interventions like StreetBit and facilitate large-scale intervention adoption.