A study on railway-roadway level crossing safety

Abstract

The railway-roadway Level Crossing (LC) safety was studied as a significant number of rail crashes are being reported at LCs in Sri Lanka. Four years of railway crash data, LCs characteristics, rail line characteristics, and highway characteristics were collected at railways from Colombo to Polgahawela. It has succeeded in identifying the LCs which had shortcomings such as no barriers, prolonged bell sound, employment of elderly workers in unprotected LCs without basic facilities or assured wages, and view of approaching train being blocked by high rise buildings and trees. Multiple linear regression analyses were done by considering two independent variables at a time. Possible solutions were recommended taking into consideration of the modern methods used in this field.