Abstract
Traffic safety assurance is the main task on roads as well as railways. At the level crossings both infrastructures cross each other. Therefore the problem of assuring the traffic safety at the level crossings remains permanently actual and is often researched. Requirements for passing the level crossing are clearly defined in the road traffic rules for the road users and in the railway traffic rules for railway carriers. However, despite all these aspects, a level crossing is the place which causes many problems for the users of both infrastructures. Though a number of deaths at level crossings amount to only 2% of the total number of road deaths, it makes 20430% of the total deaths in railways. In this article the problems are described that occur during the use of the level crossings and are concerning the traffic safety assurance. The ways of increasing the traffic safety assurance are also discussed. This problem is actual because of the scientific research and discussions in various countries of the world. The article considers the traffic safety assurance in the level crossings of the Lithuanian roads and provides the context of the other European Union countries. The essential problems of the future are also provided and discussed. Inspections of the road sections were conducted before and behind the fifteen level crossings according to the description of procedures for inspection on road safety. The article consists of the following parts: analysis of problems at the level crossings, statistical analysis of accidents at level crossings in Lithuania and Europe, investigation results and conclusions.
Highlights
Level crossings create serious potential conflict points for collisions between road vehicles and trains
Many countries carry out investigations searching for the most suitable ways to ensure safe traffic: Finland (Silla, Kallberg 2012), France (Fakhfakd et al 2011), Slovakia (Janota, Šebeňová 2011), Australia (Rakotonirainy et al 2010), (Tey et al 2011), USA (Mok, Savage 2005), (Savage 2006), (McCollister, Pflaum 2007), Great Britain (Evans 2011), (Nelson 2009), Estonia (Koppel 2009), Israel (Gitelman et al 2006)
Problems and traffic safety situation at the level crossings In Lithuania, pursuant to the Regulations for Installing and Using the Level Crossings, the level crossings are eliminated in case if a viaduct over the railway is built at a distance of 5 km and less from the crossing, if it is decided by the commission of technical inspection that the road approaches to the railway crossing are unattended or in poor condition, if the railway tracks undergo modernization and the speed is increased up to 160 km/h, if the condition of the crossing does not meet the requirements and does not ensure safe traffic of vehicles
Summary
Level crossings create serious potential conflict points for collisions between road vehicles and trains. Many countries carry out investigations searching for the most suitable ways to ensure safe traffic: Finland (in Finland the greater share of railway accidents occur at level crossings than in most other countries) (Silla, Kallberg 2012), France (Fakhfakd et al 2011), Slovakia (Janota, Šebeňová 2011), Australia (collisions occurring at level crossings represent more than 40% of all rail related fatalities in Australia each year) (Rakotonirainy et al 2010), (Tey et al 2011), USA (where the Operation Lifesaver was initiated) (Mok, Savage 2005), (Savage 2006), (McCollister, Pflaum 2007), Great Britain (Evans 2011), (Nelson 2009), Estonia (which was the first to establish the Operation Lifesaver in Europe) (Koppel 2009), Israel (Gitelman et al 2006). It was determined that a long waiting at the closed barrier makes the drivers angry, induce them to violate traffic rules and to pass railway crossing on the flashing red signal
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