How to cross a railroad safely

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of near misses each year with vehicles and pedestrians trying to cross train tracks before the train approaches. Because of the train’s size, it is possible that people estimate its speed by 10-20kph less than its actual speed, which means the train could reach you more rapidly than you thought.

Due to its sheer momentum and weight, a train needs up to 1 kilometer to stop, so before going across, make sure that there’s enough room for your vehicle on the other side of the crossing. This is very important especially when you’re driving a long vehicle in traffic because you might think you’ve cleared the crossing.

Stop signs at the railway crossing is an indication that you can not see far enough the track to make a decision whether to cross or not as before you get there, and it’s mandatory to stop. If barrier arms and bells are present, you must wait until the light stops blinking and bells stop ringing, and the barrier arms go up before you proceed.