Monitoring speed variation and pedestrian crossing distraction in Enna (Sicily) during different pandemic phases

The growing phenomenon of teleworking and the recent covid-19 pandemic have caused the volumes of pedestrians who routinely cross the city to change since March 2020. This change may have resulted in further damage to the health of pedestrians due to limited activity. Some recent studies point to slight changes in walking speed and stride length compared to changes in the number of steps, these changes were consistently seen during the state of emergency, they showed that people tried to walk faster in their outdoor walking. For the safety of pedestrians, it is necessary to analyse not only the change in speed when crossing but also the potential factors influencing it. These factors include user-related variables (gender, age, weight) and variables related to potential distractors such as smartphone use or walking in groups. The results of measurements made during the pandemic period (4 different phases) in pedestrian traffic in the zebra crossing area are also presented. The research was conducted in a zebra crossing area located in a small town in Sicily (Enna) frequently used by workers, students and elderly people. The results showed that during the first and second pandemic phases (May to October 2021) there were significant changes in the way of moving and the speed of pedestrians at crossings. The same crossings were also examined in the late autumn of 2021 (third and fourth pandemic phases) and the data show further changes in pedestrian behaviour. The data collected can help to improve safety in the area of pedestrian crossings through infrastructural actions or educational programmes and campaigns, especially among vulnerable groups of pedestrians.