Discourage drivers from
trying to beat the train.
Shockingly, 1 in 4 collisions at rail crossings are due to drivers trying to beat an approaching train. Despite warnings from flashing lights, bells, and gates to stop, impatient drivers risk their lives to avoid delays caused by blocked rail crossings. Often these drivers impose safety risks well before the rail crossing as they race and weave through traffic to beat the train. Clearly warning systems at the rail crossing are not enough to discourage this behavior. These drivers need advanced information to help them re-route around blocked crossings and/or let them know that the delay will be short and that it is not worth violating the warning signs.
TRAINFO predicts traffic delays at rail crossings up to 10 minutes before a train arrives and delivers this information to roadside signs. These signs are installed well before rail crossings, giving drivers the chance to re-route around long delays or to calmly approach the blocked rail crossing for short delays.
- Discourage drivers from crossing tracks while warning systems are active
- Prevent drivers from speeding to try and beat a train
- Mitigate rear-end collisions due to unexpected traffic queues at rail crossings
More than one-quarter of all collisions at rail crossings are caused by impatient drivers trying to beat a train. These are drivers that intentionally violate active warning systems, resulting in unintentional harm to themselves and others. Most of the other collisions at rail crossings are caused by drivers unintentionally violating warning systems. Often these collisions are due to driver errors, complacency, and distraction. TRAINFO’s information is one of the few options to reduce collision risks caused by impatient drivers.
Traffic signal pre-emption, pre-signals, and queue cutters are used when roadway intersections are near rail crossings. These technologies help clear stopped vehicles off railway tracks when a train is approaching. These solutions are costly to implement and require access to railroad infrastructure and cabinets. Luckily, TRAINFO integrates into traffic signal systems to achieve the same results for a fraction of the cost and without accessing railroad property.