New research has found that glow-in-the-dark road markings and signs could improve nighttime safety at rural railway level crossings.
“In Australia, there are 7,000 railway level crossings that rely solely on passive safety measures such as static signs and road markings,” says Dr Long Truong, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering.
“These crossings are common in rural and regional areas without electrical infrastructure, and they are among the highest-risk locations for train-vehicle collisions, which is largely due to poor nighttime visibility,” he adds.
To address this, the researchers used a virtual reality driving simulator to test three photoluminescent designs against a standard passive crossing.
“The results showed that the combination of photoluminescent markings and glow-in-the-dark signs significantly reduced approach speeds and increased compliance. Participants also rated the photoluminescent designs as safer than standard crossings when driving at night.”
Dr Truong said the findings are promising for the development of practical and affordable measures to reduce crashes at high-risk rural crossings.
“Photoluminescent markings and signs could be rolled out quickly and at low cost, helping to save lives in regional communities where electrical upgrades aren’t feasible,” he said.
