Rethinking NYC Traffic Lights

Understanding jaywalking behaviors among young adults and how they adapt to NYC's fast-paced walking culture.

ROLE
  • User Researcher, conducting end to end user research
  • Condued user research through observation, interviews, and diary studies.
  • Synthesizing research insights to identify cultural patterns and safety concerns.

COMPANY

Toyota

TOOL

FigJam, Otter.ai
IMPACT
  • Proposed solutions for two traffic light designs.
  • Journey map highlighting young adults' key behaviors and motivations.
  • Personas detailing young adults' walking habits.

TEAM

Individual project

DURATION

3 months
CONTEXT

Toyota’s Vision for Walkable, Pedestrian-Friendly Cities

Toyota North America is committed to advancing mobility solutions that prioritize both safety and accessibility, focusing on creating environments where pedestrians feel secure and empowered. Toyota North America is committed to advancing mobility solutions that prioritize both safety and accessibility, focusing on creating environments where pedestrians feel secure and empowered.
PROJECT GOAL

Designing a Safer and More Empowering Pedestrian Experience for All

As part of their vision for creating walkable, pedestrian-friendly cities, this project, in collaboration with Pratt Institute, seeks to address a critical question: "How might we make the pedestrian experience safe for people of all types of backgrounds and experiences?
RESEARCH PROCESS
PROBLEM

The Unwritten Rule of Jaywalking: A New York Welcome

When I first moved to New York City, one of the most surprising lessons I learned didn’t come from a guidebook or a city map—it came from my friend, who had lived in the city for over five years. “If someone is waiting for the traffic light to change, they’re probably a tourist,” she told me. “But if they’re darting between cars and crossing before the light changes, you know they’ve been here for a while.”

This piece of advice was a revelation. Jaywalking wasn’t just a risky behavior—it was a way of life for seasoned New Yorkers, ingrained in the city’s fast-paced culture. And while it seemed rebellious at first, it quickly became clear that jaywalking was a norm, a survival tactic to keep up with the rush of city life.

70% of Pedestrians Jaywalk Regularly

Through my research, I discovered that jaywalking is not just a sporadic behavior in New York City—it’s an established part of the city's daily rhythm. According to the New York City Department of Transportation, over 70% of pedestrians regularly jaywalk, making it a cultural norm rather than an exception.

The Problem of Jaywalking

While jaywalking may feel like second nature to many New Yorkers, it creates a range of safety and social challenges:
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  1. Legal and Financial Consequences
    ‍    Despite the fact that jaywalking is illegal, the behavior persists. First-time offenders face a $50 fine, which can escalate up to $250. However, the enforcement of these fines has done little to deter jaywalking, as many pedestrians view the practice as harmless.

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  2. Pedestrian Safety and Accidents

    Jaywalking contributes to a significant number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities. In recent years, over 10,000 pedestrian injuries and more than 100 deaths were reported in New York City. The unpredictable movement of pedestrians crossing outside of crosswalks or against traffic signals increases the risk of accidents.
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  3. 
Social Impact on Vulnerable Groups

    The normalization of jaywalking sets a risky example for children, who may adopt unsafe crossing habits. It also adds stress for elderly pedestrians, who may already feel vulnerable in busy urban environments. The noise and chaotic movement on the streets can also increase discomfort for this group.

Young Adults and the Jaywalking Culture

Young adults, in particular, play a significant role in perpetuating the jaywalking culture. Their fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyles make them more likely to prioritize speed and efficiency over adherence to traffic laws. This demographic often contributes to the normalization of jaywalking as they navigate the city in a hurry, reinforcing the idea that jaywalking is acceptable.
HOW MIGHT WE

How Might We Encourage Young Adults in New York City to Better Follow Pedestrian Traffic Signals?

Through the research, I identified that young adults play a significant role in jaywalking culture. This led me to redefine the goal to "How might we encourage young adults in New York City to better follow pedestrian traffic signals?" This refined focus allows for more targeted and actionable solutions.
DISCOVER

How Young Adults Embrace NYC's Jaywalking Culture?

To better understand how young adults learn and adopt New York’s jaywalking culture, I began by selecting appropriate research methods to capture both their behaviors and attitudes. I employed observation, interviews, and a diary study to gain a well-rounded perspective on this phenomenon.

Research Methods

I designed a new project table that allows users to view and check project details more efficiently. By adding sorting and tagging features, users can now quickly identify project types based on color-coded tags.

Participant Selection

I recruited 8 participants, each living in New York for over six months, ensuring they had enough experience to form habits around jaywalking. They came from diverse backgrounds. Some participants had also lived in other U.S. states, offering valuable comparisons on pedestrian behavior across different regions.
By blending these qualitative methods with a diverse group, I collected rich insights on how young adults adapt to New York’s jaywalking culture, setting the foundation for a deeper exploration into the social norms and safety issues surrounding jaywalking.
SYNTHESIS

How the NYC Environment Shapes Jaywalking Perspectives?

In analyzing my interview data using FigJam, I discovered that the environment plays a key role in shaping people’s perceptions of jaywalking in New York City. Participants experienced varying degrees of culture shock related to jaywalking, which I categorized into three distinct levels:

Low Culture Shock

Participants from countries like Brazil and India, where jaywalking is common, found New York's jaywalking culture unsurprising. They quickly adapted since it aligned with their experiences back home.

Medium Culture Shock

Participants from places where jaywalking is rare but traffic is chaotic, such as parts of South Korea and Taiwan, felt a moderate level of shock. While they're used to being cautious around vehicles, the frequency of jaywalking in NYC was still new to them.

High Culture Shock

Participants from countries like Japan, where traffic rules are strictly followed, experienced the greatest level of shock. They were surprised by how common jaywalking was in New York and struggled initially to adjust.

Adopting Jaywalking Without Realizing the Risks

One participant shared: “When I first came to New York, I always obeyed the signals. But after seeing everyone else jaywalking, I slowly started doing it too. Now, I barely look at the signals when crossing the street. This shift in behavior reflects how quickly people adopt NYC’s jaywalking culture, often without fully recognizing the risks.

Conscious vs. Unconscious Jaywalking

Conscious Jaywalking

Some participants admitted they jaywalk intentionally but stay alert to their surroundings, checking for cars before crossing. In these situations, they feel relatively safe.

Unconscious Jaywalking

Others mentioned instances where they jaywalked without realizing it, usually distracted by their phones or simply following other pedestrians. This is when accidents are more likely to happen. Over half the participants reported being startled by oncoming cars because they weren’t paying attention.

Pedestrians: A Source of Both Danger and Comfort

While following other pedestrians can put them at risk, participants also mentioned that the presence of fellow jaywalkers made them feel safer. This sense of "safety in numbers" is particularly strong for young adults new to the city.

Pedestrians: A Source of Both Danger and Comfort

While following other pedestrians can put them at risk, participants also mentioned that the presence of fellow jaywalkers made them feel safer. This sense of "safety in numbers" is particularly strong for young adults new to the city.
CONCEPTS

Concept Generation: Brainstorming Solutions

Based on the insights gathered from my research, I began brainstorming solutions with my classmate, Liliay. To structure our ideas, we focused on four key categories: technology, infrastructure, programs, and other creative approaches. This framework helped us tackle the question: “How might we encourage young adults in New York City to better follow pedestrian traffic signals?”

Prioritizing Ideas: Effort vs. Impact Matrix

During the usability testing, participants noted that while the redesigned project table includes a sorting feature, they were still looking for a quicker way to locate projects.
SOLUTION

Engaging Traffic Lights for a Safer Pedestrian Experience

In an effort to encourage young adults in New York City to follow pedestrian traffic signals, the proposed solutions aim to make traffic safety more engaging and culturally relevant.

Bringing New York Culture to Traffic Lights

One of the solutions is to redesign existing traffic lights by incorporating iconic New York symbols, such as the Statue of Liberty or the city’s famous pigeons. By adding these familiar and playful elements, the aim is to catch the attention of young adults and create a more engaging experience that reflects the city's unique culture.

Real-Time In-Ground Traffic Lights

The second solution focuses on installing floor projections and on-ground traffic lights that display real-time feedback based on pedestrian movements. By projecting safety cues directly on the ground, this system ensures even distracted pedestrians can stay informed about when it’s safe to cross, increasing overall pedestrian safety without disrupting their fast-paced routines.
CONCLUSION

A Safer Pedestrian Experience for All

Redesigning traffic lights to engage young adults can encourage safer behaviors while also improving the road environment for children, the elderly, and those with limited mobility—creating a safer pedestrian experience for everyone.
FUTURE STEP

If I Had More Time...

Given the limited time available for this project, if I had more time, I would like to further improve this project by undertaking the following three projects.

More Interviews

I would expand the research by interviewing people of different age groups, including young adults who have lived in NYC for a longer time, to gain deeper insights into their jaywalking habits and perspectives on pedestrian safety.

Contextual Inquiry

I’d conduct on-the-ground observations of both young adults and other age groups as they navigate NYC streets to better understand their interactions with traffic signals and jaywalking behaviors.

User Testing

I’d test the redesigned traffic light concepts with young adults to gather feedback and refine the designs based on their opinions and experiences

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© Chieh Lei 2024｜Based in Brooklyn, NY