Simply learning basic railroad safety information has reduced the number of collisions at grade crossings by 83% since 1972. Thousands of lives have been saved because they had the information they needed to avoid collisions.
Here are some safety tips to make sure we all stay safe:
- Trains are always closer and moving faster than it appears.
- Today’s trains are quieter than ever. Texting, wearing headphones, and other distractions can prevent you from hearing an approaching train.
- Trains cannot stop fast enough to avoid a collision. It takes a train over a mile to come to a complete stop.
- Railroad bridges and tunnels are extremely dangerous. Never walk on a bridge or enter a tunnel.
- Don’t stop too close to tracks when a crossing gate is down. Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet in both directions and loose straps hanging from rail cars may extend even further.
- Cross train tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings, and obey all warning signs and signals.
