U.S. Government Grade 

Crossing Research & 

Stakeholder Engagement

International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) — 11TH EDITION

Amersfoort, Netherlands • June 6, 2019 • 16:00 - 16:55 

Theme of Session: Engineering, Innovation 

Presented by:

Starr Kidda, PhD

Human Factors Division Chief

FRA Office of Research, Development & Technology

E-mail: Starr.Kidda@dot.gov
2

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

FRA’s Mission: 

• To enable the safe, reliable, and efficient 

movement of people and goods for a strong 

America, now and in the future.

We accomplish our mission of grade 

crossing safety and trespasser prevention by:

• Issuing and enforcing safety regulations

• Investing in rail corridors

• Conducting research and 

developing technology

movement of people and goods for a strong 

crossing safety and trespasser prevention by:

Issuing and enforcing safety regulations

Image source: https://www.aar.org/railroad-101
3

The U.S. Railroad System

Top 5 for Crossing Fatalities 

(2014—2018)

AL 50

CA 183

IL 105

87

69 FL

Top 5 for Trespassing Fatalities 

(2014—2018)

CA 503

177

IL 100

120

163

5-Year Trespassing Trends

21%

Fatalities

470 570

(2014) (2018)

5-Year Crossing Trends

3%

Fatalities

262 270

(2014) (2018)

9 people or vehicles are hit by a train daily.

Crossings in the U.S.

(with signs and markings, 

but not active warning 

devices) 

(with gates, bells, 

and/or flashing lights)

54%

Active 

46%

Passive

775

Railroads

140,000

Route Miles of Track

209,000

At-Grade Railroad Crossings

The U.S. Railroad System

55 mph

A train traveling

1 mile

takes

or more to stop!

Stop! Trains Can’t!

95%

Drivers

14%

1,538 drivers went 

around lowered gates. 

of all 

Incidents 

(2014-2018)

of rail-related 

fatalities over 

past 10 years

Bottom Line

are due to railroad 

crossing and trespassing.

TX

FL

NY

TX

U.S. Grade Crossing and Trespassing Trends
4

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018

Trespass GRX SuicideTrespass

Fatalities in the United States

Source: FRA Safety Data, May 28, 2019
5

Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossing

• 267 fatal, down 1% 

from 2017

Rail Trespassing

• 562 fatal, up 10% 

from 2017

Trespass

65%

Grade Crossing

31%

Other

4%

Trespass Grade Crossing Other

2018 Fatalities in the United States 

[excluding suicides]

Source: FRA Safety Data, May 28, 2019
6

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety and Trespass 

Prevention Research Program

Goal

• Analyze impact causation and develop safety 

countermeasures, programs, and guidance 

to reduce the number of causalities at 

grade crossings and along railroad rights-of-way

Research Methods

• Research the root cause of incidents and fatalities

• Identify corrective actions

o Engineering, Enforcement, Education

• Engage stakeholders

• Deploy and evaluate solutions
7

1. Photo-Based Education at Crossings

Project Description

• Studied the effectiveness of photo 

enforcement to detect and enforce 

highway-rail grade crossing violations

• Location: Orlando, Florida

Status

• 2,958 violation notices 

(August 11, 2016 – December 31, 2018)

• 333 survey responses 

(August 11, 2016 – December 31, 2018)
8

Photo-Based Education at Crossings: 

Violation Notice and Educational Material
9

Photo-Based Education at Crossings: Survey Results

Why Offenders Drove Through the Crossing During Activation*

RESPONSE COUNT PERCENT OF TOTAL

I did not see the activated crossing signals (e.g., lights flashing, gate lowering) 139 42%

I felt I had enough time to get through 70 21%

I did not see the train 39 9%

I followed the car in front of me 27 8%

I was unfamiliar with the rules 28 8%

I don’t know 23 7%

I was in a rush (e.g., late for an appointment) 17 5%

I felt the wait would be too long 7 2%

No Answer 7 2%

Other 62 19%

Total 419 100%

*Respondents were instructed to “check all that apply.”
10

2. Vehicle Right-of-Way (ROW) Incursion Prevention

Project Description

• Study interventions to prevent vehicle 

incursions into railroad rights-of-way 

• Install and evaluate low-cost sitespecific strategies 

• Location: Orlando, Florida
11

Vehicle Right-of-Way Incursion Prevention: 

Vehicle-on-Tracks Incidents (Jan 2014 – June 2016)
12

Vehicle Right-of-Way Incursion Prevention
13

Vehicle Right-of-Way Incursion Prevention
14

Vehicle Right-of-Way Incursion Prevention
15

3. Real-Time Railroad Crossing Information System for 

Emergency Vehicle Drivers 

Project Description

• Develop an in-vehicle notification system to 

alert emergency vehicle operators when rail 

crossings are blocked 

• The system will:

• Help emergency service vehicle drivers 

avoid blocked crossings, and

• Re-route vehicles to save response time

• Models will use GPS data from emergency 

vehicles and actual railroad crossing 

blockage data to measure and quantify the 

benefits of real-time information on 

emergency vehicle response times
16

4. Enhanced Humped Crossing Database Using LiDAR

Project Description

• Enhance FRA’s National Grade Crossing 

Inventory database by including LiDAR (Light 

Detection and Ranging) point clouds of 

humped crossings 

• Develop and test a quasi real-time alerting 

system if a humped crossing is detected and 

not reported as such

• Verify data reported to the National Grade 

Crossing Inventory database
17

5. Trespass Detection and Warning – Drone System

Project Description

• Test the effectiveness of drone technology to detect 

trespassers on railroad property

• Mobile camera deployed on a drone by police 

• Provides significant coverage over the ROW in the 

project location when in use 

• Identifies and tracks trespassers in areas of the ROW 

difficult to access by the police

Potential Outcomes

• Reduce trespass frequency through detection and 

education of trespassers on right-of-way (ROW) 

• Document best practices and lessons learned 

• Possibility for nationwide application
18

Stakeholder Engagement: 

2017 Grade Crossing Research Needs Workshop

• Workshop to collaborate, identify, and 

prioritize specific research needs

• 150+ attendees: Federal, state, and local 

governments; railroad industry, academia, 

and consultants

• Five topic areas: 

• Engineering/Technologies 

• Human Factors 

• Community Outreach/Education

• Enforcement 

• Hazard Management

Site URL: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/conference/2017/rnw/presentations.shtml

• Technical Report of conference proceedings: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L19857
19

Stakeholder Engagement: 

Grade Crossing Listening Sessions • FRA held six listening sessions with following 

stakeholder groups between March and April 

2019: • Railroads • Signal Equipment Manufacturers • Trade & Advocacy Groups • Technology Companies • Federal, State, Local Governments, 

and DOT Modes

• Law Enforcement 

• Topics discussed: Demonstrated and emerging 

technologies, barriers to implementation, and 

ideas for regulatory changes 
CONTACT US

Federal Railroad Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

For more information visit us at

www.fra.dot.gov

Connect with us USDOTFRA