Did you know that a staggering 96% of accidents at railway crossings are caused by the recklessness and negligence of road vehicle drivers? The Serbian Railway Infrastructure is once again sounding the alarm: obey traffic rules and signals at railway crossings! A recent tragedy near Slavonski Brod in Croatia, where a passenger train collided with a freight vehicle, has painfully reminded us how dangerous these crossings really are.
According to the International Railway Union, there are about half a million railway crossings worldwide, with around 200,000 in the EU and the UK alone. Half of these crossings in the EU are equipped with barriers or half-barriers, while the rest are marked only with road signs. The statistics are grim: 27% of all major railway accidents happen at crossings, and nearly a third of all railway fatalities occur precisely at these spots.
Every week in the EU, six people die at railway crossings, mostly due to road vehicle drivers ignoring signals, bypassing barriers, or crossing tracks when safety devices are already down. Cars often get stuck on tracks or veer off the road, and drivers show an unbelievable level of arrogance and overconfidence.
The Serbian Railway Infrastructure warns: no rush is worth your life! A train cannot stop on a dime; its stopping distance can be up to a thousand meters. So, if you want to save your life and others’, drive carefully and responsibly. Following laws and signals is not just a formality—it’s a matter of life and death.
Next time you cross a railway, remember these numbers and think— is it worth the risk? Got a crazy railway crossing story or witnessed some wild driver behavior? Share it in the comments. Let’s all get real about how serious this is, and how absurd driver negligence can be!
