Investigation of distracted driving activities at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGC).

PDFTech ReportMATC-UNL: 05325 - 1121 - 0003 - 053Railroad grade crossingsDriver distractionTraffic accidentsTraffic safetyFatalitiesInjuriesHuman factors in accidentsData analysisNebraskaMid-America Transportation CenterKhattak, AemalTung, Li-WeiUniversity of Nebraska--Lincoln. Dept. of Civil EngineeringUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionSafety at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) is a major concern for various agencies due to the high probability ofsevere injuries and fatalities associated with such locations. In theyear 2010, 2,055 crashes and 227 fatalities were reportedat grade crossings in the U.S. Of these, 97 crashes were reported at or adjacent to HRGCs in the state of Nebraska,including 43 crashes involving distracted driving. Distracted driving behaviors atHRGCs may increase driversusceptibility to the hazards common to grade crossings, and should therefore be carefully considered in efforts to maintainand improve safety at HRGCs. The objectives of this research were to report on the frequency and sourcesof distracteddriving at HRGCs in Nebraska and to empirically identify factors that may be associated with distracted driving. Data ondistracted driving activities were collected at two Nebraska HRGCs. Analyses indicated that, overall, female drivers weremore likely to be distracted than male drivers. Drivers of commercial vehicles exhibited higher distraction rates than non-commercial drivers. Driver, vehicle, and environmental characteristics contributed differently to varying levels of driverdistractions. The presence of passengers and weather conditions (e.g., clear and dry pavement) were two major contributorsto increased instances of distracted driving at HRGCs. Certain aspects of distracted driving at HRGCs that would benefitfrom further investigation are recommended