A HAWK pedestrian crossing similar to this will go along 22nd Street near Santa Rita Park.Listen:
Racial bias persists in many forms and in many places: from the workplace to the criminal justice system, and a new study reveals another place where racism occurs: in the crosswalk.
University of Arizona professor Arlie Adkins co-authored the report with researchers at Portland State University.
They found black pedestrians have to wait about 32 percent longer than white pedestrians at crosswalks before passing drivers slow down to a stop and let them cross.
Adkins said the study is evidence not of overt racism, but implicit racial bias, which is almost more difficult to combat.
"Because...people might not be aware of it in themselves," he said.
Adkins and his partners will conduct a follow-up study to test whether different kinds of signage help mitigate the problem.
"For example, whether a sign reminding people that it is state law to stop for pedestrians might make their decision less likely to be biased because they’re being told to follow the law."
Adkins said the study was based on nationwide data that shows that black and Hispanic pedestrians are twice as likely as white men to die in traffic accidents.
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