Railroads

In 2005, 355 people were killed and 970 were seriously injured in 3,0510 highway-rail grade crossing collisions.  In Indiana 20 people were killed (5th nationally) and 25 were seriously injured (15th nationally) in 169 highway-rail grade crossing collisions (3rd nationally).
 
There were 485 people killed and 386 injured while trespassing on railroad rights-of-way and property.  In Indiana 14 people were killed and 5 were injured, ranking Indiana 14th nationally.
 
Approximately every two hours, a train in the United States strikes either a vehicle or a pedestrian.  That's 12 incidents each day!
 
A motorist is 20 times more likely to die in a crash involving a train than involving another motor vehicle.
 
There are approximately 240,528 public and private at-grade highway-rail crossings in the United States.
 
More people die in highway-rail grade crossing crashes in the United States each year than in all commercial and general aviation crashes combined.
 
Nationally nearly 50 percent of vehicle/train collisions occur at crossings with active warning devices (gates, lights, bells).  In Indiana, over 66 percent occur at automated signals.
 
Most crashes occur within 25 miles of the motorist's home.

The average train weighs about 12 million pounds. The ratio of that train to an average automobile is about 4,000 to 1 - the same ratio of that automobile to a 12oz aluminum soft drink can. When the average automobile runs over it, the can will be crushed. A similar result can be expected when an automobile puts itself in a train's path. Therefore, remember all motorists should: "Be ready to stop when you approach a grade crossing. A train can come at any time, in either direction. At multiple track crossings, two trains may approach from different directions."

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