The driving test should include compulsory questions about level crossings, according to a rail chief.
The call from Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher came as his company revealed worrying numbers of level crossing incidents involving road users last year.
"Motorists are too often playing Russian roulette with a 200-tonne train," said Mr Coucher.
Network Rail (NR) said around 95% of incidents at level crossings were down to motorist or pedestrian misuse or error.
The company said there were 13 deaths at level crossings last year and 140 near misses – nearly three a week.
In addition, there were 14 collisions between vehicles and trains and over 3,000 incidents of misuse or error.
Mr Coucher said: "Tragically some motorists lose their lives gambling at level crossings by running red lights or dodging around barriers.
"I'm confident that lives will be saved if motorists learn how to safely use level crossings from the day they pass their test. Our campaign is raising awareness of the very real dangers of running the risk but we think more can be done to change motorists' behaviour."
Level crossing safety has been a controversial topic in Scotland in recent months following the death of three family members in Halkirk, Caithness last year.
Angus MacKay, 81, his wife Margaret MacKay, 81, and his brother Donald MacKay, 66 died when their car was hit by a train in Halkirk on September 29.
In January a man was charged after his car was hit by a train on the same level crossing.
The incidents have led to pressure from politicians and campaigners to improve safety at the crossings.
Welcoming today's initiative, British Transport Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: "Level crossing incidents are wholly avoidable and changing driver behaviour is the only sustainable solution.
"Research shows that fixed cameras have had a significant effect in reducing speeding offences by up to 70%. We would like to trial placing fixed cameras at hot-spot level crossings to help reduce disruption and the risk to life and limb. If successful they could prove a very cost effective investment."
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "Theory test questions are selected at random with no single topic guaranteed because we want candidates to know all the rules of the road rather than just specific areas they know will be covered in the test.
"However - after close consultation with the rail industry - we have recently incorporated more questions in to the theory test on level crossing safety and we have expanded the information on level crossings in the Highway Code.
"In addition, our children's road safety campaign, Tales of the Road, includes guidance on how pedestrians can use level crossings safely."
Of the 23 level crossings without barriers in Scotland, 21 are located in the Highlands and Islands.
Although open crossings only account for 2% of Network Rail's total number of level crossings, in the last ten years 31% of collisions have taken place at them.
