Reducing distracted pedestrian behavior using Bluetooth beacon technology: A crossover trial

Schwebel, David C.; Hasan, Ragib; Griffin, Russell; Hoque, Mohammad Aminul; Karim, Md. Yasser; Luo, Kevin; Johnston, Anna

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2021.106253

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Next, we considered published reports on the proportion of pedestrians distracted by mobile devices while walking (Wells et al, 2018) and on the effectiveness of StreetBit in reducing such distractions (Schwebel et al, 2021). These data allowed us to estimate the potential number of fatalities and injuries that would be prevented from the large-scale implementation of StreetBit across Alabama.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The monetary benefit of StreetBit is defined as the cost savings from the expected reductions in pedestrian injury. We used results from Schwebel, Hasan et al (2021) and the standard mathematical formula to derive the "marginal effect" from odds ratios in logit models (Norton & Dowd, 2018) to obtain an estimated percentage of reduction in distracted walking among pedestrians who were deemed to be most distracted at baseline. This calculation used the assumption that concurrent percentage reductions in pedestrian injuries would be distributed proportionately across fatal, severe nonfatal, and non-severe nonfatal injuries and corresponding decreases in the associated costs.…”

Section: Benefit Of Streetbitmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on results from Schwebel, Hasan et al (2021), we assumed the StreetBit program would reduce distracted pedestrian behavior by an average of 19.1% (95% CI: 1.6%-36.0%) across all categories of pedestrian injuries (fatal, nonfatal severe, nonfatal non-severe). 34,190,457 $41,028,549 $47,866,640 $54,704,732 Note: 95% C.I.…”

Section: Therementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Preliminary testing of StreetBit was promising (Schwebel et al, 2021). Before large-scale dissemination of programs like StreetBit, however, a framework for empirically estimating the costs and benefits of implementing the program that gives local leaders and policymakers information on the return on investment of the large-scale adoption to secure their cooperation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…StreetBit directly warns distracted pedestrians on their smartphones as they approach a street corner while distracted (Hasan et al, 2021; Schwebel et al, 2021). Bluetooth beacons are installed on street corners and send unidirectional signals to pedestrians using their smartphones when they come in contact with the beacons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Distracted Pedestrian Intervention

Rahim¹,

Schwebel

Hasan

et al. 2022

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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.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Benefit Of Streetbitmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Therementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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