One unconventional method involved webcams. Aaron Hipp presented on his use of them in this presentation: http://activelivingresearch.org/use-webcams-and-internet-crowd-sourcing-evaluate-built-environment-change
We want to find out how pedestrians react on comming up car, what they decide to do and so on...The same about drivers in case of approaching the crossing with pedestrians willing to cross.
OK, it is much more complicated issue than I thought. The problem of measurements in technical aspect is quite complicated.
In my point of view (navigational) there is no classical (typical) positioning (or tracking) methods from navigation that can be used to solve this problem.
It seems that only the application of photogrammetry methods (cameras), can give here the results. Please see the article by Dr. Szulwic from your department on photogrammetric tracking objects on the river.
Paper title: Synchronic digital stereophotography and photogrammetric analyses in monitoring the flow of liquids in open channels" available on RG.
Alternative solution is a short range radar tracking, but it needs much more explanations...
Regarding your question, a team of researchers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) has developed an intelligent surveillance system able to detect aberrant behaviour by drivers and people on foot crossing pedestrian crossings and in other urban settings. The study focused on a pedestrian crossing in a two-way street, regulated by a traffic Light. The authors defined 'normal' behaviour of cars and pedestrians in this setting, in which they can move when the lights are green, but must stop and not cross the safety lines when the lights are red.
The study, published Sep-2009 in the journal Expert Systems with Applications.
"A cognitive surveillance system for detecting incorrect traffic behaviors". Expert Systems with Applications 36 (7): 10503-10511, septiembre de 2009.
For more information you could visit the following link:
i think that the assessment of pedestrian characteristics such as crossing speed, crossing direction, age group, gender and clothing traditions are essential in understanding and serving the pedestrian population, I am attaching some published manuscripts of my work on the subject, I hope it will be useful.
As mentioned above, lots of papers may be found. ICTCT website (www.ictct.org) could be also a good source - their members have been dealing with pedestrians and other vulnerable road users for decades. Information on modern technologies are also there (machine vision, video detection...).