United States Department of Transportation
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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Regulatory and Warning Signs on Driver Behavior near Highway/ Rail Crossings
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2020-01-01
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[PDF-2.75 MB]
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Edition:Final Report, 11/01/2016 – 10/31/2018
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Abstract:There are approximately 211,893 highway-rail grade crossings nationwide with approximately 5,200 in Louisiana. The number of fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings have proceeded to increase since 2014. Signage has been a choice solution for reducing crashes at highway-rail grade crossings. This study therefore evaluates the effectiveness of regulatory signage in reducing instances of stopped vehicles within the Dynamic Envelope Zone (DEZ) at highway-rail grade crossings. Data was collected prior to signage installation, and after a first novelty period after signage installation (Post-Installation 1) and a second set of data was collected after a longer novelty period (Post-Installation 2). After Post-Installation 1, four sites experienced an average decrease of 36% in major violations and four sites experienced a 66% increase in major violations. After Post-Installation 2, major violations decreased at six sites by an average of 43% and increased by 9% at two sites. Post-Installation 1 data revealed that seven sites experienced decreases in minor violations by an average of 27% and one site recorded an increase in minor violations at 39%. Post-Installation 2 data indicated that the proportions of minor violations increased at four sites by an average of 31% and decreased at the other four by an average of 50%. The proportion of safe maneuvers (Post-Installation 1), increased at six sites at an average increase of 25%, while two sites experienced a decrease in safe driving behavior at an average of 14%. After Post-Installation 2, the proportion of safe maneuvers increased on an average of 45% at five sites and decreased by 24% at the other three sites. The chi-squared test conducted showed mixed effects of the signage. The MBA analysis affirmed the results obtained from the chi-square analysis. Level of Compliance can be defined as the extents to which vehicles undertake a safe maneuver, or engage in a minor or major violation. Overall, the installation of signage did not have strong associations with Level of Compliance. Researchers recommended that in addition to regulatory signage, other methods like using pavement markings, flashing lights/bells and in-vehicle auditory warnings should be employed in order to improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings near roadway intersections with history of crashes.
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