We’ve all done it before… turn a blind eye to safety precautions when we’re in a rush. What’s running that red light when no one else is on the road so early in the morning? Or not wearing your seatbelt when you only have a 3-minute drive to get to your job site?
The answer to those questions is everything.
Implementing a safety-first mentality when it comes to getting to work or meeting deadlines when you’re in a time crunch is extremely important. This is especially the case when it comes to train crossings.
Maybe the construction site you’re working on is just on the other side of the train tracks and you see the train coming but “you can make it.” Do you actually try to beat the train and run the risk of causing an accident or do you just stick it out and wait for the train to pass? Unfortunately, many make the mistake of thinking they can either beat the train or that the train will be able to stop in enough time if a car is sitting on the tracks waiting on the light to turn green.
FACT: It can take a 150-car freight train over 1 mile to stop if the train is going 50 miles per hour or faster.
According to the US Department of Transportation, there are more than 5,700 train-car-related accidents every year. Further research shows that around 75% of these collisions not only happen during the day but that it’s primarily the train hitting the car. So what does that tell you? It should tell you that motorists are being negligent of safety measures around train crossings.
Prevention is Key
These statistics are very unfortunate, but what’s even more devastating is that these train crossing collisions are completely preventable. Two of the biggest reasons why these fatal train crossing collisions happen are due to the following:
Impatience: As annoying and frustrating as it is to wait for a train to finish crossing, it’s imperative that you don’t try to “make it” because you think you can. Just wait it out; turn on your favorite music to keep your mind occupied.
Tardiness: True enough, life happens from time to time and it can throw you off schedule, but there’s no job or project so important to rush for that you have to risk your life or the lives of others for. A preventive tactic for this is to wake up earlier or simply call your job to let them know you’re going to be late, regardless of the consequences.
At Flex Fleet Rental, we understand the importance of deadlines in our everyday work, but not before the safety of our customers. Safety comes first on any job site. Whether it is a daily truck rental or weekly truck rental, safety is always our top priority.