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
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 410B
Albany, NY 12228
(518) 474-5111