Applying an extended theory of planned behavior to predicting violations at automated railroad crossings.

Based on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB, Ajzen, 1985, 1991), we conducted surveys in order to explain and predict violations at a railroad crossing, among pedestrians (n=153) and car drivers (n=151). Measures were made with respect to three chronologically related railroad crossing situations that varied in risk level. The situations were described in scenarios and depicted on photographs. The participants were recruited in the suburbs of Paris, at two automated railroad crossings with four half-barriers. We found that the pedestrians had stronger crossing intentions than did car drivers, especially at the more congested crossing of the two under study. For both categories of road users, intentions and the amount of intention variance explained by the extended TPB factors decreased significantly with risk level. In the most dangerous situations, risk-taking was the most unlikely and the least predictable Self-reported past frequency of crossing against safety warning devices was the main predictor of the intention to commit this violation again, especially among males, followed by the attitude and the injunctive norm in favor the violation. Moreover, car drivers were influenced in their crossing intentions by the descriptive norm. The presence of another vehicle on the tracks when the safety warning devices were activated was perceived not as facilitating, but as an additional risk factor. The discussion addresses the importance of taking into account these determinants of violations in conceiving countermeasures. Our findings could be especially useful for conceiving risk-communication campaigns.

A systematic review of the literature on safety measures to prevent railway suicides and trespassing accidents.

This review covers a central aspect in railway safety which is the prevention of suicides and trespassing accidents. The paper attempts to answer the following research question: 'What measures are available to reduce railway suicide and trespass, and what is the evidence for their effectiveness?' The review is based on 139 relevant publications, ranging from 1978 to 2014. The analysis aimed to identify the past and current trend in the prevention practice by looking both quantitatively and qualitatively at the recommended measures. According to the results, there has been a constant focus on suicide prevention, and only relatively recent interest in trespass countermeasures. The content analysis revealed 19 main preventative categories which include more than 100 specific measures. We identified 16 common categories against railway suicide and trespass, and 3 categories of specific measures to prevent suicide. There are only 22 studies which provide empirical support for the effectiveness of measures. Actual combinations of measures are barely evaluated, but several challenges emerge from the literature. The discussion focuses on the need for a unified approach to suicide and trespass prevention, and on the importance to consider the effect mechanism of the measures in order to design better interventions.