Tip of the Week - September 23-29, 2018 - “Stop Track Tragedies” Rail Safety Week

Sometimes impatience outweighs safety measures when it comes to pedestrians and drivers and moving trains, that’s why there’s National Rail Safety Week, to remind all of us to pay close attention to our surroundings when crossing or near railroad tracks.

“You see people with earbuds in walking along the tracks, crossing tracks, you see motorists racing to beat the railroad crossing arms as they are coming down, you see drivers ignoring the crossing arms…some people don’t stop to think about the power and speed of a moving train, how far a train extends over the tracks on each side, and how slow a process stopping a train really is,” said CSLEA Foundation Chairman Kenny Ehrman.

Rail Safety Week is a good time to remind family members of the following safety tips:

• Never drive or walk around lowered crossing arms.

• Never attempt to race or outpace an approaching train.

• Do not stop your vehicle on railroad tracks while waiting for traffic to move forward.

• Never start to drive across tracks unless you can get all the way across them.

• Know that the average train is three feet wider than the track on each side.

• When railroad flashing lights are on, be sure to stop your vehicle behind the line, crossing arms, and track.

• Never walk or play on train tracks or the railroad right-of-way.