Where do novice and experienced drivers direct their attention on approach to urban rail level crossings?

Kristie L Young; Michael G Lenne; Vanessa Beanland; Paul M Salmon; Neville A Stanton

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2015.01.017

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Where do novice and experienced drivers direct their attention on approach to urban rail level crossings?

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Where do novice and experienced drivers direct their attention on approach to urban rail level crossings?

Kristie L Young, Michael G Lenne, Vanessa Beanland, Paul M Salmon and Neville A Stanton

Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol.77, pp.1-11

2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2015.01.017

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Abstract

rail level crossings

road safety

on-road study

instrumented vehicle

novice drivers

Crashes at rail level crossings (RLXs) remain a persistent but ill-defined safety issue. In urban areas, RLXs are typically located in areas of high workload and visual clutter, such as busy shopping strips. Despite this, the impact of such environments on driver behaviour and compliance with RLX controls is not well understood. This study sought to examine where drivers direct their attention on approach to urban RLXs located in busy shopping strip areas, and whether this differs between novice and experienced drivers. Participants drove an instrumented vehicle around a pre-defined urban route containing several active (flashing light with boom barriers) RLXs. Drivers' visual scanning behaviour and cognitive processes were examined on approach to RLXs. The results suggest that RLXs were not a key focus of drivers' attention. Further, rather than actively scanning, participants were over-reliant on RLX warning signals and the behaviour of surrounding vehicles to alert them to the presence of both trains and RLXs. This study provides important insights into drivers' visual and cognitive behaviour on approach to urban RLXs located in areas of high visual demand.

Details

Title: Where do novice and experienced drivers direct their attention on approach to urban rail level crossings?
Authors: Kristie L Young (Author) - Monash University
Michael G Lenne (Author) - Monash University
Vanessa Beanland (Author) - Australian National University
Paul M Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts and Business
Neville A Stanton (Author) - University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Publication details: Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol.77, pp.1-11
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd.
Date published: 2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.01.017
ISSN: 0001-4575
Grants: A new complex systems approach to road trauma: Applying systems thinking to the fatal five, FT140100681, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Application of contemporary systems-based methods to reduce trauma at rail level crossings, LP100200387, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Organisation Unit: Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; School of Law and Society
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449202602621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Ergonomics; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary; Transportation

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