Railway tracks are not an uncommon sight in Alberta. You may drive over the same tracks every day without ever seeing a train and the railway warning sign can become a part of the scenery.

"Many drivers pay little or no attention to the hazards of railway crossings," says Jeanette Espie, executive director of Alberta Transportation’s Office of Traffic Safety. "Don’t be fooled by the optical illusion, the train you see may be closer and faster moving than you think."

Some drivers believe that they can "beat the train" but the average freight train, which weighs between 16,000 and 20,000 tons, travelling at 120 km/h requires more than 1.5 kilometres to stop. An eight-car passenger train travelling at 59 km/h requires about one kilometre to stop. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you and applies the emergency brakes, the distance required to stop is the equivalent of almost 14 football fields. And even if you race to a tie, you lose.

Common causes of collisions with trains include drivers disobeying traffic control devices, failing to yield right of way at uncontrolled crossings or driving while impaired. Most train-motor vehicle collisions happen in the daytime and when the train is travelling less than 80 km/h.

To ensure everyone’s safety, cross railway tracks only at designated crossings. When approaching a railway crossing you must:

• Obey all warning signs and signal devices.
• Look for advance warning signs and then the crossbuck symbol (a large white X with a red outline). These signs are located at all public railway crossings and indicate that drivers must yield to trains. If there is more than one track, the sign below the crossbuck will show you the number of tracks.
• Be very alert for advance railway warning and crossbuck signs during poor weather or night conditions. You should be able to stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights.
• Listen for warning bells and whistles. Some more-travelled railway crossings have lights, bells and gates.
• Turn off, or turn down, distracting fans, heaters and radios. Ask the kids to be quiet until the crossing is safe to cross. Opening the window helps you hear.
• Stop at least five metres, but not further than 15 metres, from the nearest railway track when required to stop.
• Stop when a train is visible or sounding an audible signal and approaching within 500 metres of the crossing.
• Do not attempt to cross the track if your view is obstructed in either direction until you are certain that no train is approaching.
• Do not attempt to drive under a gate as it closes or around a closed gate. If the gate begins to close while you're underneath, keep moving ahead until you clear the crossing.
• Watch out for a second train. When the last car of a train passes the crossing, do not drive until you are sure there is no train coming on another track, especially from the other direction.
• Proceed through a highway/railway crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Do not get trapped on the tracks. Remember the train is one metre wider than the tracks on both sides.
• Shift down and do not change gears while crossing the tracks if your vehicle has a manual transmission.
• Watch for vehicles that must stop at crossings. Be prepared to stop when you are following buses or trucks, which may be required either by law or company policy to stop at railway crossings.
• Do not walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railway tracks, rights-of-way or through train tunnels. It is dangerous, and illegal.
• Obey the directions of a police officer or a member of the train crew if they are directing traffic at the crossing.
• Call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency if you suspect a signal is malfunctioning.

If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, immediately get everyone out and far away from the vehicle and tracks. If a train is coming, move away from the track and toward the oncoming train. This will prevent you from being hit with flying debris if the train hits the stalled vehicle. If there is no train in sight, post lookouts well down the track, in both directions, while you move the vehicle off the track.

"Always expect a train because trains do not always follow set schedules," reinforces Espie. "And never race a train to the crossing. It’s a deadly race you can’t win."

For information about traffic safety, please contact the Office of Traffic Safety at (780) 422-8839 or visit www.saferoads.com.

For more information, please contact:

Dial 310-0000 for toll-free access in Alberta.