Difference in rural and urban driver-injury severities in highway–rail grade crossing accidents

Abstract

Based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, there were 25,945 highway–rail crossing accidents in the United States between 2002 and 2011. With an extensive research, analysis results showed that there were substantial differences between rural and urban areas at highway–rail grade crossings. However, there is no published study specific on driver's injury severity at highway–rail grade crossings classified by area types. Using an ordered probit modelling approach, the study explores the determinants of driver-injury severity at rural highway–rail grade crossings compared with urban highway–rail grade crossings. The analysis found that motor vehicle driver's injury level at rural highway–rail grade crossing is extremely higher than urban area. Compared to collisions at urban area, collisions happened at rural area tend to result in more severe injuries. These crashes were more prevalent if vehicle drivers are driving at a high speed or the oncoming trains are high-speed. Moreover, highway–rail grade crossing accidents were more likely to occur at rural area without pavement and lighting.