THE ACCEPTANCE OF RED LIGHTS AT LEVEL CROSSINGS

Dr Gnter DINHOBL BB-Infrastruktur AG, ISM dept. research&development Dr Petra LENGGER preventconsult

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Agenda

> Intro: Level crossings and their challenges > Experimental Setting the framework > Results the outcome of the test > Discussion how to deal with

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Intro: Level crossings and their challenges

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Intro: Level crossings and their challenges

Since the beginnings of railways: > Level crossings are the places where two unequal transport modes meet:
railway: guided, scheduled and energy-efficient transport with long braking distances road: unbound, highly flexible and individual transport with short brake distances

> in Austria: ~100 accidents at LX a year (-30% since 2000) with ~20 deaths/yr.
(to compare with road overall: ~35000 accidents/yr., ~550 deaths a yr.)

> the result is a safety challenge!

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Accidents often caused by road drivers:

(Austrian Road Safety Board)

aus: Jrgen Pfripfl: Human Factors bei Eisenbahnkreuzungsunfllen: Ein berblick ber internationale Studienergebnisse; Prsentation anlsslich BMVIT-Enquete Sicherheit von Eisenbahnkreuzungen, 7. Juli 2008 http://www.kfv.at/verkehr-mobilitaet/strassenraum/eisenbahnkreuzungen/ GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

aus: Andreas Marlovits: Qualitativ-tiefenpsychologische Wirkungsanalyse zu Eisenbahnkreuzungen; Prsentation anlsslich BMVIT-Enquete Sicherheit von Eisenbahnkreuzungen, 7. Juli 2008 http://www.kfv.at/verkehr-mobilitaet/strassenraum/eisenbahnkreuzungen/

I have seen the red light and I have driven on. I thought, I will make it.
GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

aus: Bericht des Rechnungshofes Sicherheit auf Nebenbahnen, Follow-up-berprfung (2011/03), S. 93

Report of the Austrian Audit Office: within one week more than 1000 times a half-barrier showing red light was passed, also when the police was present

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Red light is no recommendation Red means Stop!

Initial situation: nationale and internationale experiences (e.g. ELCF) show, that accidents on Level Crossings are caused by road drivers between 95-98% objective: Examine the acceptance of red light road signal at LX with an empirical survey results: shall set up a background-knowledge to optimise the preset time and therefore to help to reduce abnormal behaviour of road users

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Experimental Setting the framework

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Experimental setting the framework

> commissioned by BB-Infra, in cooperation with preventconsult & AMTC (Austrian car
driver association)

> General concept: computer test with video sequences and stretched waiting time:
191-374 sec. instead of 28-319 sec.

> selection of five LX with road signal, one half- and full barrier (videos from both sides) > 80 persons did the testing, with idependent variables: - sex: 41 of them female - age: from 18-81 - licence ownership: e.g. more than 10 years: 69% - frequency of car using: e.g. four to seven times a week: 31%
GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Experimental setting the framework

> screenshot of standardised information of LX: contains: > vehicle type > map and surrounding of LX > speed limits > frequency of road traffic > frequency of rail traffic > size of village / town (if applicable)

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Experimental setting the framework

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Experimental setting the framework

> screenshot of drivers view: > two choices: 1. waiting too long 2. real too long, pass LX against the regulations > one testing cycle with overall 12 LX tests took around 90 minutes > four different testing series to randomize video sequences > finally: Vienna Risk Readiness Test System TRAFFIC (WRBTV) for general behaviour
GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

> results:
Waiting road signal half barrier full barrier road signal arithmetical mean Passing half barrier full barrier

N valid missing arithmetical mean median standard deviation min max percentile 25 percentile 50 percentile 75

79 1 115,7643 117,8571 33,54989 36,43 188,43 92,0000 117,8571 136,7143

75 5 141,1956 144,0000 53,38239 28,00 284,00 106,3333 144,0000 172,0000

79 1 167,9684 166,0000 61,98875 53,50 330,00 124,5000 166,0000 207,5000

49 31 94,3761 108,1429 57,73349 3,75 209,00 43,2857 108,1429 143,8750

21 59 148,8571 162,5000 63,49347 17,00 266,00 93,0000 162,5000 195,5000

19 61 210,9211 197,0000 85,10880 8,00 331,00 153,500 197,0000 288,0000

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

LX with road signals

> road signals: waiting

16

arithmetical mean waiting: 117s

14

12

10 number

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310 320 330 340

time [s]

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

6

> road signals:

5

arithmetical mean: 94,3761s standard deviation: 57,73349s N=49

passing
4

frequency

0
<10 <20 <30 <40 <50 <60 <70 <80 <90 <100<110<120<130<140<150<160<170<180<190<200<210<220<230<240<250<260<270<280<290<300<310<320<330<340

time [s]

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

6

> half-barrier:
5

arithmetical mean: 148,8571s standard deviation: 63,49347s N=21

passing
4

frequency

0
<10 <20 <30 <40 <50 <60 <70 <80 <90 <100<110<120<130<140<150<160<170<180<190<200<210<220<230<240<250<260<270<280<290<300<310<320<330<340

time [s]

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

6

> full-barrier:
5

arithmetical mean: 210,9211s standard deviation: 95,1088s N=19

passing
4

3
frequency

0
<10 <20 <30 <40 <50 <60 <70 <80 <90 <100<110<120<130<140<150<160<170<180<190<200<210<220<230<240<250<260<270<280<290<300<310<320<330<340

time [s]

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

no significant correlation beween waiting time (X) and passing time (Y) for level crossings with road signals > similar results for half- and full-barriers

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

Overall (all LX-types): sex: female male waiting 126 s 138 s passing 123 s 98 s

no significant difference additional: > slight tendency to pass earlier for groups - age 30-39 and 50-59 to pass earlier - with drivers licence > 10 years to pass earlier - who drive 4-7 times a week
GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

additional: > Physiological data shows only tendencies, not significant skin conductance: tendency to increase heart rate: decreases respiration: tendency to increases

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Comparison: red light observation at LX in Bad Fischau by KfV (Austrian Road Safety Board, 2010)
60
vorher treatment

50

nachher

40
Anteil [%]

30

20

10

0 <1 <10 <20 <30

Zeit [s]

<40

<50

<60

>60

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Results the outcome of the red-light-test

Experience: feedback of testing persons: higher willingness to pass a level crossing against the regulations when person has the feeling > of a good visibility and sighting distance this is sometimes the case when it is only 50-60 metres! > less social control, e.g. car standing on the other side of LX, is also a factor not to pass against the regulations

Finally forthcoming project: > same testing situation > information provided on LX and trains test after that
GB ISM research & development Dinhobl

Thank you for your attention!

GB ISM research & development Dinhobl