Advancing Pedestrian Safety through Simulation

Abstract

This study investigates the role and methodological relevance of simulation-based approaches in transportation safety research, with particular emphasis on their applicability to pedestrian safety. Through a systematic review of existing simulator studies, we demonstrate that virtual environments, eye-tracking technologies, and agent-based modelling provide controlled experimental conditions for examining distraction effects, perceptual limitations, and pedestrian–vehicle interactions. Previous findings consistently indicate that distractions - most notably mobile phone use - substantially impair pedestrian awareness, hazard perception, and decision-making processes. A key methodological contribution of this work is the assessment of the DYNA4 simulation platform, which, despite its advanced physics-based modelling, sensor fusion capabilities, and hardware-/software-in-the-loop testing environment, has not yet been utilized in pedestrian-focused research. Our analysis highlights that DYNA4's integrated vehicle dynamics and real-time validation framework offer significant potential for investigating pedestrian detection systems, autonomous vehicle behavior, and safety-critical interventions under reproducible and risk-free conditions. The review identifies important research gaps, including the need for simulation-driven analyses of autonomous vehicle–pedestrian communication, cognitive load, demographic variability, and the empirical validation of VR-based behavioral measurements. Expanding the methodological application of simulation tools - particularly DYNA4 - may substantially advance pedestrian protection strategies and contribute to the development of more effective, evidence-based transportation safety solutions.