The Development of Malaysian Highway – Rail Level Crossing Safety Systems: a Proposed Research Framework

Safety levels at highway – rail level crossing locations continue to be a major concern at most of developing countries. Basically more than half of these accidents occur at public crossings, where active warning devices are in place and functioning properly. In most cases, accidents occurred when road users ignored the gates and passed through them or if they stopped on the tracks before the gates are lowered. This phenomenon speaks directly to the need to re-examine both safety evaluation and design practices at highwayrail level crossing. Therefore the primary aims of this research project are: (a) To identify the factors contributing to the highway rail accidents at level crossing in Malaysia: (b) To develop highway rail accident empirical model: (c) To establish the optimum sight distance at interference of highway – rail level crossing and (d) To identify the road user perception and attitude towards traffic signals or stop signs at highway-rail level crossing. To achieve the objectives, research work is divided into two major scopes which include both qualitative and quantitative elements. Data sources can be from secondary data collection and primary data collection. Secondary data collection will be from Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB), Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Royal Malaysian Police databases. Primary data collection will be from field study and qualitative assessment. Field study will cover on site survey of the highway-rail geometric design, sight distance and breaking distance at highway rail-grade crossing critical spot location. Questionnaires will be distributed to gather the information on the road user’s perception and attitude towards traffic signals or stop signs at highway rail level crossings. The result of the study will feed into the development of Malaysian highway-rail level crossing safety systems.