MDOT encourages railroad crossing safety

JACKSON, MISS. – In 2024, there were 30 crashes at public railroad crossings in Mississippi, which led to five fatalities and 12 injuries.

Designated by the International Union of Railways, June 5 is International Level Crossing Awareness Day, and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) wants to highlight the importance of safety at railroad crossings to prevent crashes and fatalities.

MDOT’s rails engineer inspects crossings each year to determine the need for lights and gates. Using federal funding and guidelines, design and construction at crossings occur based on metrics such as available sight distance, incident history, the number of vehicles traversing the crossing and the number and speed of the trains on the rail line.

MDOT works with municipalities and counties to offer guidance on other warning devices to increase safety at railroad crossings. MDOT also works to separate state-maintained highways from railroads when possible.

In addition, MDOT has been conducting a pilot program on the coast to level high railroad crossings that will keep trucks from stalling on tracks. The Long Beach railroad crossing improvement project is being funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Rail Crossing Safety program with matching funds from the City of Long Beach, and it is being administered through MDOT’s Local Public Agency (LPA) division since it is occurring on the local road network.

The scope of work will involve raising the roadway approaches to crossings to decrease the chances of a vehicle getting high-centered on the crossing. This program is the first of its kind at MDOT, and the Department intends to do similar projects to improve railroad crossing safety in other cities. MDOT is currently in the design phase of a similar project in Pass Christian.

Safety is always MDOT’s number one priority, and here are some tips for motorists and pedestrians to keep in mind on International Level Crossing Awareness Day and every day:

• See tracks? Think train! Always expect a train, especially because freight trains do not follow a set schedule.
• You cannot outrun a train. The approaching train is closer and faster than you may think. Always wait for it to pass before proceeding across the tracks.
• Trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour may take the length of 18 football fields to stop.
• NEVER drive around lowered gates. It’s illegal and deadly.
• Do not stop on the tracks. Proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping.
• If your vehicle stalls on the track, get out immediately and move away quickly. When a train hits your car, you could be injured by flying debris. Call local law enforcement for assistance.
• At a multi-track crossing, keep your eyes open for a second train on the other tracks.
• When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways and cross the tracks quickly without stopping.
• Look for the blue sign and call for help! Each railroad crossing has an Emergency Notification Systems (ENS) sign with a phone number to call the rail line’s dispatcher and state the nature of the emergency.

For more information about rail safety, visit GoMDOT.com/portal/Operation_Lifesaver and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook, Instagram and X.