Traffic-spatial analysis of road-rail crossings on state roads in the Republic of Serbia

Obradović, Marijana; Jevremović, Sreten; Trpković, Ana; Milosavljević, Miloš · 2020 · Crossref

DOI: 10.31075/pis.66.04.04

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Summary

This study addresses the safety and efficiency challenges associated with road-rail crossings on state roads in the Republic of Serbia. The research is motivated by the high prevalence of inadequately equipped crossings, with over 50% lacking proper traffic signalization and equipment, leading to persistent traffic accidents and operational inefficiencies. The authors aim to identify existing deficiencies through a traffic-spatial analysis to propose targeted design and management measures for improving safety and reducing the risk of negative incidents. The methodology involved analyzing 245 road-rail crossings on state roads, selected from a total of 2,138 crossings managed by the Infrastructure of Serbia Railways. The study utilized data from the Public Enterprise “Roads of Serbia” for spatial and infrastructure characteristics and from the Agency for Traffic Safety for accident records. The analysis covered two main areas: the spatial distribution and equipment status of the crossings, and a five-year review of traffic accidents (2015–2019). Accident data were examined by crossing type, accident severity, vehicle category, and contributing factors. The results reveal that 51% of the analyzed crossings are inadequately equipped, with 129 having no protection at all. Spatially, the majority of crossings are located on IIA class roads (133 crossings), followed by IB (77) and IIB (35) classes. During the five-year period, 464 accidents occurred, with 60% resulting in material damage only. Passenger cars were involved in 59% of accidents, while freight vehicles accounted for 16.2%. Crucially, 60.5% of all accidents occurred at crossings on IIA class roads, where 53% of the crossings are inadequately equipped. Although driver error was cited as the primary contributing factor, the authors argue that the high rate of unprotected crossings suggests that infrastructure deficiencies are significantly underreported or misattributed in accident records. The significance of the study lies in its proposal of prioritized intervention measures to mitigate risks. The authors recommend urgent improvements to traffic signalization and lighting, which are needed at 78% and 65% of the crossings, respectively. Other urgent measures include regular signal control and upgrading traffic control devices, such as installing video surveillance. Desired but less urgent measures include geometric corrections to improve visibility and the installation of obstacle detection systems. The study concludes that addressing the high proportion of unprotected crossings, particularly on high-traffic IIA roads, is essential for enhancing safety and efficiency, challenging the prevailing narrative that attributes accidents primarily to driver behavior without considering infrastructure deficits.

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• rail grade crossings