Virtual reality training of Chinese school-aged children may reduce risky pedestrian behaviors.
Wuhan, China
Using Virtual Reality to Identify and Modify Risky Pedestrian Behaviors amongst Chinese Children
Summary Information
Virtual reality (VR) technologies are becoming increasingly accessible to the general public and may have applications in transportation. One particularly promising usage of VR technology in transportation involves the usage of VR to train travelers in safe travel behavior(s).
Methods
To better understand if VR can successfully train travelers in safe behaviors researchers at Central China Normal University studied the effects of VR trip training on risky pedestrian behaviors among school-aged children in Hubei Province, China.
The research team recruited seventy-nine children in grades one through three. Each of the children completed a series of pedestrian crossing challenges in the VR environment. Following the trial runs the research team debriefed the children and provided feedback on how the children could improve their pedestrian behaviors. After this feedback the children completed the pedestrian challenges a second time and the researchers measured the children’s improvement in safe pedestrian behaviors compared to the first trial.
Findings
- There was a statistically significant improvement in children’s safe crossing behavior between the two trails
- VR training may be an effective tool to improve pedestrian behaviors and safe behaviors more generally.
