Ag Community Reminded To Stress Safety At Railroad Crossings

Whether it’s harvest traffic, moving equipment from one field to another, or something as simple as running into town, the farm community is reminded to think safety at rail crossings. Rachel Maleh Executive Director at Operation Lifesaver said at this point, 149 accidents have occurred at private railway crossings on farms this year. She said even if you use a rail crossing on a daily basis, it’s important to remain vigilant.

“When you come up on a crossing, especially on farms, slow down as you approach the crossing, stop, look both ways. You want to make sure you stop at least 15 feet from the crossing because trains can overhang the track. You want to look and listen for a train. Look both ways and look again before you cross. And then you want to cross when it’s clear. Once you start crossing the track you don’t want to hesitate, and you don’t want to change gears.”

If equipment gets stuck on the tracks, Maleh said to leave the vehicle and call the number on the blue and white crossing locator sign or call 911. She urges farmers to explore more railway safety tips On Line.

By the way, national Rail Safety Week wrapped up Sunday.

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