Citation

Russell ER, Michael HL, Butcher TA. Transp. Res. Rec. 1976; 611: 68.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research is reported which analyzed the effect on motorists of improving the warning devices at a rural grade crossing with a high accident rate, by replacing 20.3-cm (8-in) flashers on automatic gates with 30.5-cm (12-in) flashers activated by a Marquardt speed predictor and supplemented by additional strobe lights. The study also evaluated and analyzed suitable parameters, studied before and after conditions and motorists reaction to the system, and evaluated the data collection system itself. Most drivers approached a grade crossing safely. It was found that the Percentage of reduction in speed of the fastest vehicles, along with observation of individual speeding vehicles, provides a better measure of improved effectiveness than do mean speeds and deceleration. Further conclusions are presented regarding: mean entry speeds, vehicle approach speed profiles; deceleration speeds; and the use of deceleration rate as a parameter for determining the effectiveness of new signals.