Train safety awareness week highlights dangerous trends
Haley Swaino
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Conversations about train safety are happening across the nation for “See Tracks? Think Train” Week from Sept. 15-21. It’s an annual campaign organized by nonprofit Operation Lifesaver Inc. that aims to raise awareness for railroad safety and prevent tragedies.
One person was injured Monday after a mail truck was hit by a train in Audrain County, according to previous reporting. The vehicle was totaled after it entered the crossing and was hit by a 1979 GM GP40-3 Canadian Pacific Kansas City Train.
Operation Lifesaver Inc. partners with railroads, law enforcement, and transportation agencies across North America for ‘See Tracks? Think Train’ Week, its website says.
In 2024, there were 930 deaths and 6,556 injuries on railroads in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“Missouri’s just like the rest of the states in the nation, more than half of the crashes that we have, for instance, we have at railroad crossings, occur at those crossings that are equipped with flashing lights and gates,” Missouri Operation Lifesaver Inc. Executive Director Tim Hull said.
On average, a person is hit by a train every three hours, according to data from Operation Lifesaver. More than 60% of those incidents happen at crossings that have lights and/or gates. The week focuses on reminding people of the risks of trespassing or not maintaining a safe distance from railroad crossings.
“Anytime you’re on the railroad tracks at a location that’s not designated as a railroad crossing for a vehicle or a pedestrian crossing, it’s trespassing,” Hull said. “It’s very dangerous. It’s also illegal.”
In Missouri, there were 20 deaths and 75 injuries on railroads in 2024. That is the second highest amount of railroad-related deaths reported in the last ten years in the Show-Me State, with the highest being 22 in 2022.
A Centralia man died when a Norfolk Southern train struck his vehicle in 2022, according to previous reporting. Hull said trespassing incidents have surpassed crossing incidents in the last 10 years.
He said Missouri has had eight trespassing incidents this year, seven of which were deadly. At crossings, only three injuries have been reported and no deaths.
He said raising awareness about the dangers of trespassing on railroad tracks is important.
“A fully loaded 12 million pound locomotive freight train at 55 miles per hour, once they go into emergency braking, it’s going to take more than a mile to come to a complete stop,” Hull said.
And often times, conductors and train operators do not see people until they are getting very close.
He said people have been spotted on the tracks for many reason.
“They go out and ride their ATVs or UTVs along the railroad tracks,” Hull said. “We’ve had some incidents involving photographers, TV crews making movies. Another thing that we’ve seen the past several years is the use of the railroad and the railroad tracks as an avenue of suicide.”
Hull said one of the biggest things to remember is that “any time is train time.” Steer clear of lingering on railroad tracks regardless of hearing or seeing one coming or not, and always look both ways before crossing.