Stopping at Railroad Grade Crossings

49 CFR Section 392.10 requires certain CMVs to stop at all railroad grade crossings, with limited exceptions (392.10(b)). Stopping at these crossings, especially on high-speed divided highways, has been identified as a potential crash hazard with concerns that CMVs can be involved in rear-end crashes while stopped. A number of industry organizations have inquired as to the safety impact of allowing certain CMVs to proceed without stopping at railroad grade crossings, especially at crossings that are well-marked and controlled, and especially on high-speed divided highways. The present rules were formulated in the mid-twentieth century at a time when most railroad grade crossings were un-gated. Since then, strides have been made to identify and control railroad grade crossings with sophisticated arm and light systems.

This project seeks to collect and analyze relevant data and assess the safety benefits for certain CMVs to proceed through railroad grade crossings without stopping or slowing (rather than stopping all the time).