JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – In recognition of International Level Crossing Awareness Day on Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Transportation released safety tips about railroad crossings.

According to MDOT, there were 34 crashes in 2022 at public railroad crossings in Mississippi. Five people died in three of those crashes. Recently, a crash between a train and a vehicle happened in Flowood.

MDOT Executive Director Brad White said most crashes are preventable.

“MDOT provides oversight in safety and traffic control on all public at-grade crossings, supporting 2,600 miles of railway. You can do your part to reduce accidents on railway crossings by putting safety first and following traffic laws,” White said. 

MDOT’s rails engineer inspects crossings yearly to determine the need for lights and gates, creating a prioritization list. Metrics such as available sight distance, incident history, vehicle traffic, train usage, and speed influence the construction and design of gates and lights at crossings. 

MDOT informs cities and counties of other warning devices to increase safety at railroad crossings. MDOT also works to separate state-maintained highways from railroads if possible.

MDOT offered 10 tips for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists to follow every day:

1. Trains and cars don’t mix. Never race a train to the crossing.
2. The train you see is closer and faster-moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks.
3. Trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied.
4. Never drive around lowered gates — it’s illegal and deadly.
5. Proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. The train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
6. If your vehicle ever stalls on a track with a train coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. Do not run in the same direction the train is traveling; you could be injured by flying debris when the train hits your car. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
7. At a multi-track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks approaching from either direction.
8. When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly without stopping. Remember that stopping closer than 15 feet from a rail isn’t safe.
9. Always expect a train. Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
10. Each crossing location has a sign with identification and phone numbers to call to alert the dispatch of any crossing issues on the rail line. Call for help if necessary.