New FRA campaign focuses on rail grade crossing safety

Washington – The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a new campaign intended to improve safety at railroad grade crossings.

The first phase of the campaign will call on law enforcement agencies to increase their presence at grade crossings and ticket drivers who fail to obey the rules of the road. The second component will focus on the best ways to increase public awareness, use new technologies, and cultivate partnerships with state and local safety agencies.

According to FRA, poor judgment or bad behavior by drivers is the cause of 94 percent of collisions between trains and vehicles. Rail safety group Operation Lifesaver offers the following tips for drivers:

• Never try to beat a train to the crossing.
• Never drive around lowered gates.
• Proceed through a crossing only when you are certain you can clear the tracks without stopping.

“The reality is that while the overall number of deaths and injuries from grade crossing incidents has come down significantly over the last two decades, this remains a serious problem,” FRA Acting Administrator Sarah Feinberg said in a press release.