Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety

"A highway-rail grade crossing is an intersection where a roadway crosses railroad tracks at the same level or grade"

Facts:

• 250,000+ highway-rail grade crossing in the US
• 3,000 highway-rail grade incidents occur per year. 
• 300-400 people are killed at these crossing per year.
• 1,100 + people ae injured at these crossing per year.
• 700/year include trucks
• This is about 13 trucks per week.

Safety Precautions: click here for flyer

• Approach with care - slow down with flashers
• Prepare to Stop - wind down windows, locate cell phone, STOP at lest 15ft no more then 50ft from intersection.
• Look both ways and listen carefully.
• If it won't fit, don't commit! (Trains are wider then the rail)
• Look again before moving.
• Cross tracks with care.
• Keep moving once you start - even if lights start flashing and gates are coming down.

E-Learning for Professional Drivers:

• Learn highway-rail grade crossing online click:
• http://oli.org/e-learning-survey/

If your vehicle stalls on a track:

• GET OUT IMMEDIATELY
• Move away.
• Locate emergency phone
• Call for HELP! - Tell them a vechicle is on the tracks!!!!
• Call Railraod Emergency phone number, the local police or 911

Railroad Emergency Phone Numbers: (call  and tell them if you see a vehicle on the track!)
Amtrack 1-800-331-0008
BNSF Railway 1-800-832-5452
CSX 1-800-232-0144
Candadian National  1800-465-9239
Canadian Pacific  1-800-716-9132
Kansas City Southern 1877-527-9464 or 1-800-892-6295
Norfolk Southern 1-800-453-2350
Union Pacific  1-888-877-7267
Call the local police or 911 if you cannot locate the railroad emergency phone number at the site.

Works cited

"Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration." Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMSCA. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

<http://www.fmsca.dot.gov/about/outreach/railcrossing/index.htm>.