September 24 – 30, 2017

The fourth week of September marks the first national Rail Safety Week. The U.S. Department of Transportation and other associations aim to educate the public and remind us that railroads are dangerous. Did you know railways and rail yards are private property? Each year, around 1,000 people are killed or injured trespassing on or near railroads.

Some things to keep in mind next time you encounter train tracks:

Never cross tracks anywhere other than a public crossing and even then, only cross when it is safe to do so.

In an average year, there are approximately 2,500 collisions between trains and motor vehicles, resulting in roughly 250 people killed and 1,000 more injured.

Never try to beat a train or try to go around or under closed crossing gates.

A typical train takes over a mile to come to a complete stop and the majority of vehicle-train crashes occur when the train is traveling at speeds between 40-49 mph.