Georgia Department of Transportation recognizes Rail Safety Week
Every three hours in the United States a person or vehicle is hit by a train and more than 60% of these collisions happen at crossings equipped with lights and/or gates, according to Operation Lifesaver. In an effort to spread awareness about safety at railroad crossings, the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) is recognizing Rail Safety Week September 18-22, a national effort organized by Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Georgia has over 8,000 active rail crossings across the state, and according to the 2023 Railway-Highway Annual Report from Georgia DOT, there have been 532 incidents since 2018 involving collisions between trains and vehicles in the state. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Analysis, in 2022 alone, there were 98 highway-rail collisions resulting in 24 injuries and two deaths. There were also trespass related incidents, including where pedestrians are walking along the tracks, accounted for 17 deaths and 23 injuries in 2022. If you come across Georgia DOT strongly encourages everyone to report blocked railroad crossings. Individuals around the state can submit reports through the official Blocked Crossings at Blocked Crossings (dot.gov) platform.