Each year, on average, there are 35 highway rail-crossing collisions and five fatalities in Missouri, in addition to injuries and fatalities suffered by people trespassing on train tracks.

To promote rail safety in Missouri, MoDOT partners with Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI). OLI is a nonprofit organization and nationally-recognized leader of rail-safety education. Since 1972, OLI remains committed to preventing collisions, injuries and fatalities on and around railroad tracks and highway-rail grade crossings, with the support of public education programs in states across the U.S.

In addition to OLI’s “Rail Safety Week” activities, MoDOT will be posting safety messages on its Missouri River Runner and MoDOT social-media sites.

Some reminders to help everyone stay safe around railroads include:
· Freight trains don’t follow published schedules; always expect a train.
· A typical freight train can take more than a mile to stop.
· The train you see is likely closer and moving faster than you think.
· The only safe place to cross the tracks is at a designated crossing.

Being on railroad tracks and property is not only dangerous – it’s illegal.