Read, Gemma J.M.Cox, JoleneHulme, AdamNaweed, AnjumSalmon, Paul2024-02-232024-02-230925-7535http://hdl.handle.net/1885/313840Collisions between road users (drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians) and trains at rail level crossings (RLXs) remain an intractable issue. This systematic review aimed to determine what is known regarding the factors influencing risk at RLXs, with a focus on understanding the causal relationships across the entire soci-otechnical system. A systematic search identified 88 published studies. The studies were categorised according to the type of outcome measured or analysed: (1) rates and severity of crashes; (2) unsafe and non-compliant road user behaviours; and (3) road user risk perception, attitudes and beliefs. Most studies focused on unsafe and/or non-compliant road user behaviour. The factors identified within the studies as influencing risk at RLXs were classified using the Accident Mapping (AcciMap) technique, a systems analysis framework. AcciMap maps the factors that influence behaviour across six system levels ranging from Government to the operating environment. Most of the factors identified within the studies related to physical attributes of the crossing itself, its operation, and the behaviours and attributes of road users. Comparatively fewer systemic factors were identified (i.e. policy and budgeting). Few relationships between factors were identified, indicating that little consideration has been given interactions between factors (i.e. how crossing design influences end-user decision making). A research agenda is proposed based on systems thinking and the use of a ‘many model’ approach to understand and address risk at RLXs.This paper is derived from a research report funded by the Department of Transport through the Victorian Railway Crossing Safety Steering Committee. Project management and procurement was managed by Metro Trains Melbourne. Gemma Read’s contribution to the preparation of this manuscript was supported by her Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Research Award (DE180101449) and Anjum Naweed’s contribution was supported by his ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award (DE160101137).application/pdfen-AU© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Rail level crossingRailway crossingRoad user behaviourSafetyTrainsAcciMap202110.1016/j.ssci.2021.1052072022-10-09Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License