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Last updated on Tuesday, June 2, 2015
(UNDATED) - There were 2,283 railroad crossing collisions in 2014 in the United States, up 8.8 percent from 2,096 in 2013. There were 270 fatalities at railroad grade crossings in 2014, up 16.4 percent from 231 in 2013. Indiana had 9 fatalities at railroad grade crossings in 2014.
You are 20 times more likely to die in a collision with a train than with another vehicle, and the intersections where tracks meet the road can be extremely dangerous if drivers fail to follow basic safety measures.
That's why, in observance of International Level Crossing Awareness Day, Operation Lifesaver, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration have partnered together to promote a national safety awareness campaign, "See Tracks, Think Train!"
A total of 43 countries worldwide participate in an international day of public awareness and outreach about safety at railroad crossings, which is being celebrated this year on June 3.
The new video public service announcement, part of the See Tracks, Think Train!" safety campaign from Operation Lifesaver, Inc., is aimed at educating pedestrians and drivers about safe behavior around railroad crossing grades. For example, drivers may forget that a train cannot steer to avoid a collision, and are unaware that it can take more than a mile for a fully loaded train to come to a complete stop even in an emergency. More than half of all collisions occur at railroad crossings equipped with active warning devices such as flashing lights and gates. In addition to the tragedies for the victims and families involved, collisions on train tracks can injure train crews and passengers.
Operation Lifesaver's national campaign is funded with help from railroads and federal agencies, including the Association of American Railroads, the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. OLI's public safety campaign urges Americans to recognize and obey traffic signs and signals around railroad tracks.
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