Evaluation of the Buckeye Crossbuck at public, passive railroad/highway grade crossings in Ohio.

Zwahlen, Helmut T.; Schnell, Thomas · 2000 · ROSA P / Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment. Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory

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Summary

This study evaluates the safety effectiveness of two new crossbuck designs—the Buckeye crossbuck and the Standard Improved crossbuck—at public, passive railroad/highway grade crossings in Ohio. The research was motivated by Ohio’s historically high rate of grade crossing crashes and the need to improve safety at the approximately 3,500 passive crossings that lack active warning devices like gates or lights. The study aimed to determine if these new designs could alter driver risk-taking behavior, reduce crash rates, gain user acceptance, and provide superior photometric performance compared to the Current Standard Crossbuck. The evaluation employed a multi-faceted approach involving four distinct analyses. First, driver risk-taking behavior was assessed using a before/after field study with train-mounted video equipment to record vehicle compliance and near-collision times. Second, crash reduction potential was analyzed using ten years of historical crash data (1994–1999) from Ohio’s passive crossings, comparing sites equipped with Buckeye crossbucks against those with Standard Improved crossbucks. Third, user acceptance was measured through surveys distributed to law enforcement, train engineers, school bus drivers, delivery drivers, and the general public. Fourth, photometric performance was evaluated through nighttime luminance measurements under automobile low-beam illumination to assess visibility and reflectivity. The results demonstrated that the Buckeye crossbuck significantly outperformed the Standard Improved design in crash reduction. From 1994 to June 1999, sites with Buckeye crossbucks recorded 157 crashes compared to 192 crashes at Standard Improved sites, representing a statistically significant 22% decrease in crashes. While the percentage of non-compliant drivers was similar for both designs, drivers at Buckeye crossings exhibited slightly more conservative risk acceptance times. User acceptance surveys revealed an overwhelming preference for the Buckeye crossbuck across all surveyed groups. Photometric testing confirmed that the Buckeye crossbuck provided the strongest visual signal during both day and night due to its fully reflectorized, micro-prismatic shield and angled design. The crash reduction benefit was more pronounced during daytime, though nighttime proportions still favored the Buckeye design. The study concludes that the Buckeye crossbuck is the most effective design evaluated, offering superior visibility, better crash reduction, and higher user acceptance. Its angled shield and red YIELD legend are credited with improving driver awareness and yielding behavior. The authors recommend amending the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to include the Buckeye crossbuck as an alternate design for passive grade crossings. This finding supports the integration of enhanced passive warning devices to mitigate the high risk of fatalities and injuries associated with railroad/highway intersections.

Key finding

The Buckeye crossbuck design resulted in a 22% decrease in crashes compared to the Standard Improved crossbuck, with 157 crashes recorded for the Buckeye design versus 192 for the Standard Improved design between 1994 and June 1999.

Methodology

mixed_methods

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
• roadway lighting effects