Let’s be careful at RR crossings

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July 28, 2010

Anonymous CNHI The Kokomo Tribune Wed Jul 28, 2010, 01:24 AM EDT

THE ISSUE:Two women died near Gary last week when their car pulled in front of a train.

OUR VIEW:The wreck should be a reminder to all of us that railroad crossings can be dangerous.

A deadly accident east of Gary last week provided a stark reminder of a lesson we should all have learned in drivers education: Never drive around the gates at a railroad crossing.

Gary police say a 20-year-old East Chicago woman was driving the car, which had stopped for a passing train. When the first train cleared the crossing, the car drove around the gates and into the path of a second train.

The driver and a 19-year-old passenger were killed in the crash. A young mother and her 18-month-old child were seriously injured.

Cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and even semi tractors seldom win in a confrontation with a train.

This particular crossing, near U.S. 12 on the road dividing Lake and Porter counties, has claimed seven lives since 2007.

No crossing, though, is safe.

Never drive around lowered gates. If you suspect a signal is broken, call the toll free number posted on or near the 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. Proceed through a crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on each side, and it’s not safe to stop closer than 15 feet from the tracks.

If your vehicle stalls on a crossing, immediately get everyone out and as far away from the tracks as possible. Call your local law enforcement agency for help.

Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the engineer sees you, a train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop.

In last week’s crash, the train pushed the car several hundred yards before finally coming to a stop. That’s the length of several football fields.

No one particularly likes waiting for trains. They always seem to come along when we’re running behind, and the crossing gates always seem to be slow about going up.

The fact is, though, that the gates are there for a reason. To save lives.

Relax and enjoy the scenery. Listen to the radio or count the cars on the train.

Getting in a hurry is almost always a mistake. And at a railroad crossing, it might be the last mistake you ever make.

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