Missouri railroad crossing accidents and fatalities to decline in 2024 | Mid-Missouri News

JEFFERSON CITY – The number of collisions and fatalities at railroad crossings has declined since 2023, according to a railroad safety nonprofit.

There have been five collisions, two injuries and zero deaths at railroad crossings this year through May 21, according to Tim Hull, executive director of Missouri Operation Lifesaver. Hull said the data comes from the Missouri Department of Transportation, which he checks with the Federal Railroad Administration.

During the same period in May 2023, there were 14 collisions, two injuries and two deaths. However, the number of injuries remained the same.

However, the figures provided by Hull differ from the data that falls under the trespassing category.

If a person or car crosses railroad tracks outside of a designated crossing, it is considered trespassing. This could also include someone walking along railroad tracks, which Hull said is dangerous and illegal.

The number of trespassing incidents is also declining. Only three incidents have been reported so far this year, compared to nine in the same period in 2023.

This year’s trespassing incidents resulted in three injuries and no deaths. Last year, at the same time, there were four deaths and three injuries.

According to Hull, inattention behind the wheel is the most common cause of accidents on railways, which can have even more devastating consequences than ordinary traffic accidents.

“The difference is you have 12 million tons coming at you, going 55 miles an hour,” Hull said. “There’s very little resistance when they start breaking.”

The average freight train takes more than a mile to stop. Railroads have also begun using longer trains, which increases efficiency and reduces fuel costs, but can also increase the distance trains need to stop.

Hull attributes the recent decline to increased public awareness and technological advances. Missouri Operation Lifesaver received tens of thousands of dollars in federal grants for public media campaigns that fund advertising on the radio and social media.

Rail safety caught the attention of state lawmakers after the deadly Mendon Trail derailment in 2022. Four people died on June 27, 2022, when an Amtrak Southwest Chief collided with a dump truck, according to previous reporting by KOMU 8.

The final report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the design of the railroad crossing contributed to the accident. The road grade of the railroad crossing was 13 times higher than the maximum grade recommended by the America Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

It was also a passive railroad crossing, meaning it had no lights or barriers. Missouri has allocated $50 million in 2023 to improve railroad crossings following the Mendon derailment. Some of the money will go toward improving passive railroad crossings, which can pose a safety risk to vehicles and trains.

Despite the increase in spending, it’s not enough to upgrade every crosswalk in Missouri. Installing lights and barriers alone can cost between $400,000 and $500,000, according to a previous KOMU 8 report.

However, three of the five collisions at railroad crossings this year occurred at “active railroad crossings,” Hull said.

“People want to say we need to put traffic lights and barriers at every railroad crossing to prevent this from happening,” Hull said. “But that’s not the case.”