https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/rail

 

NHTSA RAILROAD CROSSING SAFETY CAMPAIGN ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN!

Injuries and deaths occur at railroad crossings every day, but most of these tragedies are preventable. Conscientious motorists keep themselves informed and their passengers safe.

Unless you are at a crossing, it is illegal to be on or near train tracks in any sort of vehicle, but ensuring your own safety—as well as that of your own passengers and of anyone else in the vicinity—requires hypervigilance. It is easy for drivers to forget that even in an emergency trains can take a mile (or more) to stop. They are also three feet wider than the tracks—on both sides.

SAFE MOTORISTS ALWAYS STOP AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
#crosscarefully

You should stop because trains CANNOT.

Well … they can, but it takes a while. If you assume a train will stop when the engineer sees a car on the tracks, you are right—but trains need at least 18 football fields of track to reach a complete stop.

Do not risk it!

7 SIMPLE STEPS FOR SAFELY NAVIGATING RAILROAD CROSSINGS

1. Stop, look both ways, and listen. Remember that trains always have the right of way.
2. Make sure you have room to get across. Once you enter the crossing, keep moving.
3. Stop 15’ away from flashing red lights, lowered gates, a signaling flagman or a stop sign.
4. Never try to drive around a lowering gate. Never ignore signals, and always use caution.
5. Before you begin to cross, wait for gates to fully raise and for all lights to stop flashing.
6. Never assume that there is only one train coming from a single direction.
7. If your car stalls in a crossing, get out of there and call the number on the sign, or 911.