Surveying Non-Motorized Travel Behavior at Grade Rail Crossings

Burbidge, Shaunna K. · 2019 · ROSA P / Utah. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This study addresses the critical safety issue of train-pedestrian collisions, which are the leading cause of fatality in train-related accidents worldwide. Despite this risk, there is a significant lack of research examining non-motorist travel behavior at at-grade rail crossings. Existing engineering guidelines often fail to account for specific environmental contexts or human behavior trends. The research aimed to determine the level of compliance with safety treatments, the prevalence of risky behaviors and distraction, and how built-environment characteristics influence these behaviors. The goal was to provide data-driven insights to help transportation agencies better coordinate safety efforts while accommodating actual user behavior. The study was conducted at 26 at-grade rail crossings along Utah’s Wasatch Front, spanning Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties. Researchers compiled environmental inventories and collected data on 1,459 non-motorist crossings through field visits and electronic aerial analyses. Each site was visited at least twice for two-hour intervals to confirm built-environment data and observe user behavior. The analysis categorized non-motorist behavior into compliance, risky behavior, and distraction. Statistical methods, including Maximum Likelihood and Poisson loglinear regression models, were employed to examine relationships between these behaviors and various crossing characteristics, such as visual obstructions, barriers, signage, and pavement markings. The findings revealed that nearly 20% of observed non-motorists did not follow approved pathways, and a similar proportion exhibited at least one risky behavior, such as disregarding signals, walking around gates, or lingering on tracks. Visual obstructions and the absence of barriers or flashing lights were significantly correlated with increased risky behavior. Conversely, the presence of channelization (e.g., z-gates) and blank-out signs was correlated with more risky behaviors, suggesting these features may inadvertently encourage non-compliance. Notably, crossings with detectable warning surfaces (DWS) exhibited 23% fewer pedestrians crossing in compliance, as users tended to walk around them. Regarding distraction, approximately 12% of non-motorists were distracted, primarily by electronic devices and headphones. Complex environments featuring more travel lanes, bike lanes, visual obstructions, school zones, or ADA accommodations were significantly negatively correlated with distraction, likely because such complexity encourages users to pay closer attention. The significance of this research lies in its challenge to the assumption that more complex safety infrastructure always improves safety. The results suggest that simpler approaches may be safer, as certain treatments like DWS and channelization can lead to non-compliant or risky behaviors. The study recommends that agencies like the Utah Department of Transportation improve education regarding DWS and signage, potentially integrating this into programs like Operation Lifesaver. Additionally, it advises reducing visual obstructions and ensuring appropriate barriers are in place to channel pedestrians to safe crossing locations. These findings provide a foundation for more tailored, behavior-informed safety treatments at rail crossings.

Key finding

Visual obstructions and the absence of barriers and flashing lights significantly increased risky non-motorist behavior, while detectable warning surfaces reduced compliance by 23% as pedestrians walked around them.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 1459

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• rail grade crossings
• pedestrian behavior perception