title: Walking the line: Understanding pedestrian behaviour and risk at rail level crossings with cognitive work analysis.
abstract: Pedestrian fatalities at rail level crossings (RLXs) are a public safety concern for governments worldwide. There is little literature examining pedestrian behaviour at RLXs and no previous studies have adopted a formative approach to understanding behaviour in this context. In this article, cognitive work analysis is applied to understand the constraints that shape pedestrian behaviour at RLXs in Melbourne, Australia. The five phases of cognitive work analysis were developed using data gathered via document analysis, behavioural observation, walk-throughs and critical decision method interviews. The analysis demonstrates the complex nature of pedestrian decision making at RLXs and the findings are synthesised to provide a model illustrating the influences on pedestrian decision making in this context (i.e. time, effort and social pressures). Further, the CWA outputs are used to inform an analysis of the risks to safety associated with pedestrian behaviour at RLXs and the identification of potential interventions to reduce risk.
authors.affiliation: Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Building 70, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: gread@usc.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gemma J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Read
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Building 70, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lenné
authors.affiliation: Transportation Research Group, Civil, Maritime, Environmental Engineering & Science Unit, The University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
authors.forename: Neville A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001519:Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation; D000069636:Pedestrians / Q000523:psychology*; D011890:Railroads; D012449:Safety; D014505:Urban Population; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive work analysis; Constraints; Pedestrians; Rail level crossings; Risk; Systems approach