Driver Behavior at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings: A Literature Review from 1990-2006

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Yeh ◽  
Jordan Multer
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Grade Crossings

Human Behavior at Railroad Grade Crossings

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sampath Kadiyala ◽  
Phani Gubbala ◽  
Steven D. Schrock
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Specific Sign ◽  
Control Devices ◽  
Grade Crossings ◽  
Common Sign ◽  
Comprehensive Study

A comprehensive study is needed to address the human behavior at railroad grade crossings. Human behavior at different signs changes and it may lead to crashes. No guidance is provided in the recommendations provided by Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices where and when different type of signs and different combination of signs are appropriate. Crashes occur mostly when the drivers try to go through the gate or around the gate when a train is approaching. Drivers come to a complete stop at stop signs and then proceed only if a train is not coming, this may lead to a crash when they cannot accelerate in time to cross the tracks. Yield sign may have better results in this case. Cross-buck signs are same as the yield sign where drivers should slow down, look for the train and then proceed. However, people may tend to proceed without yielding as it is not as common of a sign. Hence we can say driver behavior at specific sign is important for the recommendation or the guideline to install a sign. Adopting a common sign at all grade crossings could provide enhanced consistency and reduce crashes. A literature review was done on human behavior at grade crossings and the crash rate at different types of signs. Driver behavior at the time of the crash for 15 states was studied from the Federal Railroad Administration data by reviewing detailed reasons for every crash. Driver behavior at different types of signs at the time of each crash was studied from the reviewed data and the literature review. Driver behavior at different signs was summarized.

scholarly journals Applying a Sociotechnical Framework for Improving Safety at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (24) ◽  
pp. 1550-1554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Yeh ◽  
Jordan Multer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Grade Crossing ◽  
Grade Crossings ◽  
Fox River

To understand drivers' decisions and actions at grade crossings, we examined human factors contributing to noncompliance at grade crossings using a sociotechnical framework. This perspective allows driver behavior at grade crossings to be examined not as individual elements but rather as a function of how each element interacts with other elements within the system. In this paper, we present a model that addresses driver decision-making at grade crossings at a systems level. We identify and describe four elements of the grade crossing system influencing driver compliance: the design of the grade crossing environment, driver characteristics, the role of organizations and management, and social and political forces. We then apply the model to identify how failure to consider safety from a systems perspective contributed to the grade crossing accident that occurred in Fox River Grove, Illinois, in 1995.

Car driver behavior at flashing light railroad grade crossings

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Tenkink ◽  
Richard Van der Horst
Keyword(s):  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Flashing Light ◽  
Grade Crossings

Using Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Investigate Driver Behavior at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alawudin Salim ◽  
Myounghoon Jeon ◽  
Pasi Lautala ◽  
David Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Driver Behavior ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Loss Of Life ◽  
Speed Reduction ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Rail Industry ◽  
Naturalistic Driving Study ◽  
Naturalistic Driving ◽  
Grade Crossings

Although accidents at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings (HRGCs) have been greatly reduced over the past decades, they continue to be a major problem for the rail industry, causing injuries, loss of life, and loss of revenue. Recently, the Strategic Highway Research Program sponsored a Naturalistic Driving Study, the SHRP2 NDS, which produced a unique opportunity to look at how drivers behave while traversing HRGCs. This research deviates from previous studies by concentrating on day-to-day actions of drivers who traverse the HRGCs without an incident, instead of focusing on the accident events that have formed the foundation most earlier studies. This paper will focus on the effects of the external environment, weather and day/night conditions, on driver behavior at HRGCs. We will present the methodology and data used for the study and provide some early results from the analysis, such as differences in compliance during poor versus clear weather. We will use both a compliance score based on scanning and speed reduction and an analysis of brake and gas pedal usage during the approach to a HRGC. The paper will conclude with a brief discussion of future research concepts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document