Analyzing risky behavior of motorists during the closure cycle of railway level crossings

Level Crossing (LX) safety is one of the most critical issues for railways. Collisions between trains and motorized vehicles contribute most to LX accidents, while the risky behavior of motorists is the primary cause of such accidents. Therefore, motorist behavior at LXs is a safety concern that requires special attention care. The present study is a tentative to acquire a better understanding of risky motorist behavior at LXs. Namely, risk analysis of motorist behavior is performed based on field observation conducted at 11 automatic LXs (10 equipped with two half barriers (SAL2) and 1 equipped with four half barriers (SAL4)). We particularly focus on motorist behavior during the LX closure cycle when the barriers are closed down completely. Based on recorded measurements, the zigzag violation rate is analyzed with regard to the prolonged LX closure duration and LX location (railway station nearby or not), respectively. Then, some other features characterizing risky behavior are determined, such as troop phenomenon. Besides, since our aim is to analyze motorist behavior at SAL2 LXs, one SAL4 LX was considered in our experiments to examine the distinction of motorist responses to SAL2 and SAL4 protection systems, so as to compare the efficiency of SAL2 and SAL4 LXs in terms of safety. In summary, the findings of our analysis offer a novel insight for interpreting significant aspects underlying motorist decision-making during the LX closure cycle and facilitate identifying technical solutions to improve LX safety.