Safe railway crossings: This is how you can avoid accidents!

Safe railway crossings: This is how you can avoid accidents!

St. Pölten, Österreich - In 2024 there were 52 accidents on railway crossings in Austria. This number illustrates the persistent problems that exist at interfaces between road and rail transport. The ÖBB emphasizes that the vast majority of collisions can be attributed to human failure, in particular the non -observance of traffic signs and light signals, as well as distractions while driving. The causes of the accident are also due to the habit of local people who often pose an increased risk. More than 1,600 railway crossings are now technically secured; They have light signals and barriers, while others are only marked with stopboards and Andreas crosses. This explains the various security standards that prevail at various intersections and shows the investments in this area, .

tips for drivers

Mathias Auer, an instructor of ÖBB-Production GmbH, emphasizes that many drivers are often unsure of how to behave on railway crossings. He strongly recommends reducing the speed in front of a stop table and taking into account the dangers of dead angles in urban areas. At the same time, he warns of the use of headphones during the journey because this can significantly impair the perception of the environment.

Another important point that Karl Beisser emphasizes from ÖBB-Infrastructure AG is the physical reality of the braking paths of trains. While a truck has a braking distance of around 50 meters at 80 km/h, a freight train from a similar speed needs up to 1,000 meters to get to a standstill. This shows how dangerous it can be not to behave correctly at a railway crossing. In 99.9% of cases, drivers are responsible for collisions, which underlines the need to change driving behavior.

In the context of EU-specific traffic safety, improving security at railway crossings is a central concern. According to current statistics, the focus is on the reduction in accidents and the improvement of the general security standards in Europe, as can be read on the Eurostat website .