Rail Safety

Between 2005 and 2006, the number of rail-highway public crossing collisions decreased from 62 to 58 and fatalities fell from 17 to six in Missouri.  Fifty percent of the fatalities resulted from driving around gates at active warning devices.

Operation Lifesaver is a national, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way.

Railroad Crossing Safety Tips for Drivers:

Never drive around lowered gates.  Driving around lowered gates is illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the toll free number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency.

Never race a train to the crossing.  Even if you tie, you lose.

Do not get trapped on the tracks. Only proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on each side.

Get out of your vehicle if it stalls.  If your vehicle stalls on a crossing, immediately get everyone out and far away from the tracks. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.  If a train is coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction the train is coming from.

Watch out for a second train.  If you are at a multiple track crossing and are waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching in either direction.

Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That's 18 football fields!

Do not be fooled.  The train you see is closer and is moving faster than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks.

Cross train tracks at a designated crossing only. When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly without stopping. Remember that it isn't safe to stop closer than 15 feet from the rail.