The main objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy, and drivers' subjective perception, of different traffic control devices at level crossings. Twenty-five fully-licensed drivers aged between 20 and 50 years participated in a high fidelity driving simulator study that compared three level crossing traffic control devices. A stop sign-controlled level crossing served as the passive referent, while two different active level crossing traffic control devices were also assessed: flashing lights and standard traffic lights. Collectively, results indicate that the installation of traffic lights at real-world level crossings may not offer safety benefits over and above those provided by flashing lights. Furthermore, the high rate of violations at passively controlled crossings strongly supports the continued practice of upgrading level crossings with active traffic control devices. (Author/publisher)
Abstract