Railway level crossing crashes
Fatalities resulting from level crossing (LC) crashes make up for a small percentage (1%) of all road-related fatalities but a large percentage (~30%) of railway-related fatalities. This makes level crossing crashes the second largest cause of death in railway fatalities. In the EU, almost 300 people die annually due to crashes on level crossings. Level crossing crashes often lead to serious or even fatal injuries on the part of level crossing users because the train is heavy, travels fast and has no means of evading them. Even though the number of crashes and the resulting casualties have annually decreased by 3% and 4% respectively, there is room for improvement.
There are two general types of level crossings: passive and active. Passive level crossings are often only equipped with warning signs, a St. Andrews cross and road markings. On these crossings, it is for the road user to determine when it is safe to cross. Active level crossings are, in addition, equipped with barriers and warning systems such as flashing lights and sounds.
In a safe system, countermeasures should prevent human error from leading to serious crashes. The fact that human behaviour plays a key role proves that the efficiency of these measures needs to be improved – this is particularly the case on passive level crossings where there are no barriers to physically prevent road users from entering the LC when a train passes. On active LC, the crash is often the result of road users trying to cross while the barriers are already closing. Some other reasons for crashes are: lack of warning lights or poor visibility of trains, crossing designs leading to stopping or stranded road vehicles, or the failure to convey the danger of the level crossing to road users. In 2016, 60 % of all LC crashes in EU-28 countries took place on active LCs. In most level crossing crashes, passenger cars are involved (45%), followed by pedestrians (22%) and heavy vehicles (20%).
Countermeasures
For passive crossings, blinking lights to the sides of LCs and an array of speed bumps combined with flashing posts in front of the LC can prevent road users from overlooking the LC. In-vehicle devices can warn drivers that they are nearing a LC. Blinking lights to the front of the train make it more conspicuous to road users.
For active crossings, sound warning systems, reduced waiting times at LCs and red light cameras can reduce illegal crossing. “Blocking back” signs can warn road users not to remain on the LC when confronted with a traffic jam on the opposite side of the LC. Camera observation also has the potential to reduce illegal crossing behaviour of pedestrians.
Object detection can be used to detect and warn the train driver about vehicles/persons still on the LC.
Campaigns might help to raise awareness about the dangers of LCs among road users.
