Safety Tips
Operation Lifesaver Driving Tips
- Never drive around lowered gates – it's illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency.
- Never race a train to the crossing – even if you tie, you lose.
- Do not get trapped on the tracks. Only proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
- If your vehicle stalls on a crossing, immediately get everyone out and far away from the tracks. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance. Look for a 1-800 emergency notification number nearby to contact the railroad.
- At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching in either direction.
- ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN! Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
- Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That's 18 football fields!
- Do not be fooled by the optical illusion the train you see is closer and faster moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across tracks.