Rail Crossing Safety
Promoting Safety at Railroad Crossings and on Train Tracks
Know the Facts
- About every 3 hours a vehicle and train collide in the U.S.
- You are 30 times more likely to die in a crash with a train than with another motor vehicle. A derailment could result and if a freight train is involved, there is a possibility that hazardous material being transported by the train could become involved and endanger an entire community.
- Collisions at highway-rail grade crossings killed or seriously injured approximately 1000 people nationwide in 2018.
- Most vehicle/train crashes occur at highway/rail grade crossings within 25 miles of the motorist's home.
- Trains cannot stop quickly: a 150-car freight train traveling 50 miles per hour takes 8000 ft. (or 1.5 miles) to stop; and an 8-car passenger train traveling 79 miles per hour takes 6000 ft. (or 1 1/8 miles) to stop.
Operation Lifesaver
Together, we can save lives at railroad crossings and on train tracks.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee partners with Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit international public information, education, engineering and enforcement program dedicated to reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings and along railroad rights of way.
Contact Information
Rail Crossing Safety Program Inquiries
Robert Lopez Highway Safety Program Representative Governor's Traffic Safety Committee New York State Department of Motor Vehicles 6 Empire State Plaza, Room 410B Albany, NY 12228 518-474-5111