Driver behaviour at railway crossings has tragic, fatal consequences for vehicle occupants. Accidents take place because drivers, at times, are not aware that trains are coming. New technology can detect approaching trains and send warning signals to oncoming vehicles. These In-vehicle Railway Warnings (IRWs) are redundant with those in the external environment. Two in-vehicle warning issues were studied. Study 1, asked 20 drivers, when, during approaches to railway crossings, IRWs should activate. Drivers consistently chose warnings to come on 10 s before vehicles reach crossings. Study 2, with 36 drivers using a low-fidelity simulation, tested the effects of IRW reliability on motorist performance and trust. Results showed that drivers tended to initiate braking later after false alarms and earlier after missed signals. Decreases in reliability reduced drivers' trust in and ratings of dependability of the IRW system. Design of IRWs must ensure that warnings to drivers are highly reliable.
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