This year, nearly 60 accidents involving cars have been recorded at railway crossings throughout Latvia

The railway is a high-risk area where particular vigilance and caution must be exercised. Dozens of accidents are recorded every year at or near railway crossings, and statistics show that most accidents are caused by drivers’ carelessness and disregard for traffic regulations. 

Statistics from VAS “Latvijas dzelzceļš” (LDz) show that six collisions between cars and trains have already occurred in the first 10 months of this year. In addition, every year accidents are recorded in which the operation of safety barriers or traffic lights is disrupted because of drivers’ recklessness and carelessness. This year, 50 incidents in which the operation of safety barriers was disrupted and three incidents in which the operation of crossing traffic lights was disrupted have been recorded at railway crossings throughout Latvia. 

In recent years, the number of accidents at railway crossings has not decreased significantly, suggesting that society as a whole does not pay sufficient attention to crossing railway crossings safely. However, over a longer period—during the past 20 years—the number of accidents has been reduced by improving railway-crossing infrastructure.

“Drivers often fail to think, in their haste, about the risks that may arise when rules at railway crossings are ignored—damage to a car is insignificant compared with the risk of losing one’s life. Moreover, by violating the rules, drivers risk not only their own lives but also the lives of train passengers. Therefore, I urge drivers to spare an extra minute at the crossing and, without taking unnecessary risks, reach their destination safely,” says Dainis Zvaners, LDz’s chief technical inspector.

Drivers can be impatient and reckless when crossing a railway crossing as a train approaches, deliberately ignoring lowered safety barriers and flashing warning signals. In addition, drivers have a bad habit of failing to assess whether there will be enough space for them beyond the railway tracks, thereby creating a serious threat to the safety of others and to their own lives. There is also a tendency for drivers not to bring their vehicles to a complete stop before a STOP sign or road marking and not to make sure it is safe before crossing the railway crossing.

To promote safety at railway crossings, LDz would like to remind drivers of several simple rules that will significantly reduce the risk of accidents. Before crossing a railway crossing, stop the car to make sure it is safe, obey the warning signal, road signs and crossing barrier, and assess whether you will be able to cross the tracks completely without stopping on them.

As reported previously, in June this year, LDz, in cooperation with well-known young people, released a song titled “Learn the song—save yourself from the train!” to draw public attention to and emphasise compliance with safety rules near railway tracks. Tennis player Aļona Ostapenko, singer Markus Riva, Latvian rallycross driver Reinis Nitišs, Latvian professional roller skater and inline skater Nils Jansons, and YouTube blogger Sindija Lo participated in creating the campaign song. One of the song’s verses calls specifically on motorists to pay attention to safety and compliance with traffic regulations near railway tracks: “When you are behind the wheel, if the red light is flashing, stop; the safest thing is not to hurry, then the train will not crash into your side.” 

More information about safety near railways: http://dzirdiredzidzivo.lv/

Campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A29OpZmVdE8

VAS “Latvijas dzelzceļš” (LDz) is the manager of public-use railway infrastructure and the parent company of the “Latvijas dzelzceļš” group. The group also includes six subsidiaries: AS “LatRailNet”, which determines infrastructure charges and allocates railway infrastructure capacity; SIA “LDZ CARGO”, which provides rail freight and international passenger transport services; SIA “LDZ infrastruktūra”, an infrastructure construction and maintenance company; SIA “LDZ ritošā sastāva serviss”, a rolling-stock repair and maintenance company; SIA “LDZ apsardze”, a security company; and SIA “LDZ Loģistika”, a logistics company. LDz has received a Platinum rating in the Sustainability Index and is also ranked among the five most valuable and best-managed Latvian companies in the list compiled annually by “Prudentia” and “Nasdaq Riga”.