MOTORISTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ACTIVE WARNING DEVICES USED AT RAILROAD-HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSINGS

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1984

Subject Area

operations - traffic, infrastructure - vehicle, planning - education, ridership - drivers, ridership - behaviour, mode - rail

Keywords

Warning devices, Train-automobile collisions, Traffic signs, signals and markings, Traffic signs and signals, Traffic control devices, Railroad grade crossings, Railroad facilities, Motor vehicle operators, Level crossings, Human behavior, Highway signs, signals and markings, Highway signs (Signals and markings), Highway railroad grade crossings, Highway rail intersections, Grade crossings, Efficiency, Education, Economic efficiency, Driving schools, Drivers, Driver education, Behaviour, Behavior, Automobile drivers

Abstract

There are a number of motorists who neither understand nor fully comprehend the meaning of traffic control devices at railroad-highway grade crossings. In certain situations, the percentage of motorists who misunderstand is small, but the severity of train-automobile collisions is such that only a small fraction of the driving public making improper decisions can lead to death and serious injury. It, therefore, becomes very important to have high performance traffic control devices at railroad-highway grade crossings and to educate the motorists on the proper driving behavior at these locations. Thus, the three Es of traffic engineering (engineering, education and enforcement) are even more important at railroad-highway grade crossings.

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