State Police Enforcing Safety around Train Tracks

NORMAL – Illinois had the third-highest number of railroad crossing related deaths in the nation last year.

The Illinois State Police (ISP) are taking action this week to inform people about motor and pedestrian safety when crossing train tracks.

As part of Rail Safety Week, officers will crack down on rail safety laws to reduce the number of deaths related to the rail crossing.

“The (ISP) wants to educate people on the laws that surround rail safety,” said District 10 Trooper Joseph Rush. “We wanna be out there enforcing those violations to make sure that the general motoring public and pedestrian traffic is safer when they go around those grade crossings.”

Last year over 2,200 railroad crossing accidents occurred nationwide, resulting in 170 deaths. In Illinois, motorists caused 109 accidents, resulting in 17 deaths in addition to 26 deaths caused by unlawfully crossing the tracks.

In Bloomington/Normal, ISU police aim to inform students about the risks of crossing the tracks illegally. They had multiple issues last year in regards to student’s safety.

“A lot of the rails in Normal were being stopped for long periods of time,” ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff. “Rather than waiting for the train to finally clear the tracks, [Students and others] were crossing under, over, through the rail cars.”

Not only is it unsafe, but pedestrians can get stuck in the train once it starts moving.

More importantly, another train could be approaching on the second track at a high speed unaware by the student.

Woodruff added that as a result, students have been hit before by trains. Even though it hasn’t happened in a few years, ISU’s police chief emphasizes the importance of avoiding these risks.

Rail crossing safety tips include:

• Listen and Look to see if there’s a train approaching (the lights don’t always work)
• Not stopping your car anywhere along the crossing area
• Pedestrians shouldn’t go around the gate or disregard the warning lights
• Take out earbuds and put cell phones away

Rail Safety Week is in its 6th straight year of operation.