In
2005, at least 355
people were killed and 970
were injured in 3,010
highway rail grade crossing collisions (combined for public and private
crossings).
At
least 485
people were killed and 386
were injured while trespassing on railroad rights of way and property.
In the
United States of America, approximately every
two hours either a
vehicle or a pedestrian is struck by a train. That’s 12 tragic incidents
each day.
A
motorist is 20
times more likely
to die in a crash involving a train than in a collision involving another
motor vehicle.
There
are approximately
240,528 public,
private and pedestrian at grade highway rail crossings in the United States.
(A total of
146,658 are public
crossings; 93,870
are private crossings.)
More
people die in highway rail grade crossing crashes and railroad trespassing
incidents in the United States each year than in all commercial and general
aviation crashes combined.
Nearly
50
percent of
vehicle/train collisions occur at crossings with active warning devices
(gates, lights, bells).
Trains
CANNOT
stop quickly.
Average freight train stopping distance:
55
mph = a mile or more or at least 18 football fields!
Operation
Lifesaver
is a national, nonprofit public education program dedicated to ending collisions
deaths and injuries at highway rail grade crossings and along railroad rights of
way.
For more
information and the name of your Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator, please
call 1.800.537.6224, or go to Operation Lifesaver
on the web.