Driver comprehension of railroad-highway grade crossings

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, over $2 billion has been allocated for the improvement of railroad-highway grade crossings. Many passive crossings have been upgraded with active protection which has decreased the number of collisions at grade crossings each year; however, collisions at grade crossings are still a major concern. In order to continue improving safety at grade crossings, driver comprehension and driver attitudes must be investigated. This research investigated driver comprehension and driver attitudes concerning railroad-highway grade crossings through the use of literature review and driver survey. The goal of the survey was to test motorists understanding of the traffic control devices at grade crossings. A total of 1010 surveys were collected in Houston, Laredo, and Nacogdoches, Texas. The results showed that drivers, especially young drivers, expressed a lack of understanding of driver requirements and traffic control devices at both active and passive crossings. Drivers also showed a poor attitude toward active devices, 12 percent of the drivers said it was "okay" to drive around the gates if no train was present. Ninety six percent of the drivers remembered something about safe driving at railroad-highway grade crossings from a driver's education course or public safety campaign. It was recommended that more emphasis should be placed on safe driving at railroad crossings in both drivers education and defensive driving classes based on the results of the driver survey.