In pedestrian crossing scenarios, children exhibit a reduced capacity to engage in safe
behaviors compared to adults, although their competencies improve with age. The
present study aimed to examine the mechanisms and strategies underlying visual
exploration in pedestrian crossing situations among both children and adults.
Specifically, ocular behavior during simulated crossing scenarios was analyzed using
eye-tracking technology.
The study recruited 60 participants, stratified into four age cohorts: first-grade children
(5-6 years), fourth-grade children (8-9 years), fifth-grade children (10-11 years), and
adults, with 20 participants per group. All participants underwent a brief eye-tracking
session in which they were instructed to observe two static images depicting pedestrian
crossings, simulating a decision-making process as if preparing to cross the road. Eye
movement patterns were systematically compared across groups.
Findings revealed that adults engaged in a more systematic and adaptive exploration of
the visual field, directing their gaze toward critical areas for safe crossing with greater
frequency and prolonged fixation durations. In contrast, younger children exhibited a
more restricted visual exploration strategy, allocating attentional resources to nonrelevant
areas of the scene. Fourth- and fifth-grade children demonstrated a transitional
pattern, exhibiting increased fixation durations on relevant areas to the right and left of
the zebra crossing compared to younger children, though with lower fixation
frequencies relative to adults. However, similar to younger children, they maintained
prolonged fixations on extraneous environmental elements that were not directly
pertinent to safe road-crossing decisions.
The findings of this study offer valuable insights for the design of training programs that
consider the specific capabilities of pedestrians at different ages, as well as for the
development of infrastructure tailored to facilitate road crossing for pedestrians with
varying levels of perceptual development and of the ability to anticipate and assess risks in the context of street crossing.