Did you know that walking on railway tracks is not just stupid, but deadly? The Serbian Railway Infrastructure is urging everyone to stay off the tracks because it is strictly forbidden and punishable by law. The overhead contact line carries a shocking 25,000 volts of electricity, and you can get electrocuted even if you are just a few meters away from the wires! You don’t even have to touch the wires to get a fatal shock. The consequences are almost always tragic. Yet, people keep risking their lives, not realizing that a train cannot stop on a dime — its stopping distance can be up to a thousand meters!
Another huge danger is railway crossings. The Serbian Railway Infrastructure is again warning road vehicle drivers to obey traffic rules at crossings. Recently, there was an accident near Slavonski Brod in Croatia, where a passenger train collided with a freight vehicle, injuring the truck driver. The statistics are terrifying: 96% of accidents at railway crossings are caused by road vehicle drivers who ignore signals or try to bypass barriers. In Europe, 27% of all major railway accidents happen at crossings, and 32% of all railway fatalities occur there.
Drivers often fail to look or observe the tracks, make risky maneuvers, and cars frequently get stuck on the tracks. A train has a massive stopping distance and cannot quickly swerve or stop. So, following the rules is the only way to save lives.
If you think this is an exaggeration, think again. Every moment of carelessness can be fatal. Next time you see someone walking on the tracks or crossing without thinking, remember these numbers and facts. Life is not a game, and the railway is no place for jokes. And hey, if you have any crazy stories from the tracks or crossings, share them — maybe you’ll save a life!
