Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Using a Virtual Reality Walking Simulator to Investigate Pedestrian Behavior
Published on: June 9, 2020
Trespassing on the tracks: a review of railway pedestrian safety research
1Department of Psychology, The University of Auckland (Tamaki Campus), Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. b.lobb@auckland.ac.nz
Introduction:
Train-pedestrian collisions have been shown to be the leading cause of fatality in train-related accidents worldwide, yet there is remarkably little research in this area.
Method:
In this paper, the major types of railway transportation accident research are briefly highlighted to indicate the general context of research concerning train-pedestrian collisions, which are then reviewed. Themes emerging from the diverse research are identified, the various strategies that have been proposed for prevention of railway pedestrian accidents are discussed, and the empirical evidence for their efficacy examined in the light of the much more extensive literature on road pedestrian accidents. Finally, it is proposed that application of current theory in behavioral and cognitive psychology may usefully inform future research in transportation safety.
