Safety Tips
- In the U.S., approximately every 2 hours a train collides with a person or a vehicle.
- Most vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of the motorist's home.
- Trains cannot stop quickly
100-car freight train approximate stopping distance
- at 30 mph = 3,500 feet or 2/3 of a mile
- at 55 mph = 5280 feet or 1 mile - There are over 200,000 miles of railroad tracks in the U.S.
- Cross tracks ONLY at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings. Observe and obey all warning signs and signals.
- DO NOT walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railroad tracks and property or through tunnels.
- Never drive around lowered crossing gates -- it's illegal and it's deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call your local law enforcement agency.
- Get out of your vehicle if it stalls on a crossing and call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
- You cannot accurately judge the distance and speed of an oncoming train.
- A train can appear on any track at any time.
- Quieter technology makes it more likely that you might not hear the approach of a train.