This project developed a VR experience and companion curriculum to teach adolescents safe crossing behaviors and distributed both online to ensure broad accessibility statewide.
Benefits to Texas Transportation Safety
The results of this project directly supported transportation safety in Texas by equipping adolescents with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate high-risk traffic situations safely. The virtual experience reinforced the importance of paying attention and increased understanding of the educational safety messages compared to static images, texts, or verbal expressions, which tend to be less engaging. By targeting behaviors associated with pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, particularly in midblock crossings, this project aimed to reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities among this vulnerable age group in Texas.
Project Need and Approach
Between 2014 and 2022, 849 children aged 11–14 were killed in traffic crashes as pedestrians or bicyclists in the United States, with Texas ranking second in fatalities for this age group. The primary causes of these deaths were adolescent inexperience and miscalculation, often resulting in failure to yield the right-of-way to vehicles. The lack of effective pedestrian and bicycle safety education, especially regarding midblock crossings, has further exacerbated these risks. To address these issues, this project developed an educational curriculum and a virtual reality (VR) experience designed to raise awareness and teach safety behaviors to adolescents.
The project, performed by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Center for Transportation Safety, aimed to fill the gap in available educational materials targeting this age group by focusing on high-risk scenarios, specifically midblock crossings where visibility is obstructed by parked cars. The VR experience and accompanying curriculum were developed to provide adolescents with engaging, real-life simulations that reinforced their safety behaviors and enhanced their ability to make safe decisions in traffic situations. The educational materials targeted both the cognitive and motor skills necessary for safe pedestrian and bicycle practices.
Project Activities
Throughout the project, the project team conducted several key activities to address the identified safety issues. First, a crash analysis was conducted to identify high-risk situations involving adolescent pedestrians and bicyclists. These data were used to develop a scenario focused on midblock crossings—a common situation contributing to pedestrian injuries. In partnership with the Texas A&M University Department of Visualization, the project team developed a VR-adapted experience according to the developed scenario and script. The VR experience simulated the scenario, allowing users to practice safe crossing behaviors, such as performing safety checks and yielding the right-of-way before crossing. Additionally, a curriculum—aligned with Texas educational standards—was developed to provide educators with a structured way to teach pedestrian safety.
The project team also focused on distribution and outreach. Educational materials promoting the curriculum and VR experience were shared with schools, teacher associations, and other relevant stakeholders via email. To ensure wider accessibility, an alternative version of the VR experience was created for non-VR users and made available online. These efforts were designed to maximize the reach and impact of the project, ensuring that adolescents in Texas have access to essential pedestrian and bicycle safety education.
Project Title: Adolescent Child Safety Education Focusing on Pedestrians/Bicyclists Aged 11-14
Project Start and End Dates: October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025
Author List: Myunghoon Ko
Sponsor/Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)