Third of railway accidents caused by reckless behavior: ProRail

This year, a third of accidents at level railway crossings were caused by reckless behavior, ProRail reported on Tuesday. The railway manager launched an information campaign to warn people that ignoring a red light or slipping through the booms can have dire consequences.

Every year, there are around 20 to 30 accidents at railway crossings. ProRail calculated how many of them were caused by reckless behavior, like someone ignoring a red light, slipping under the boom, or going around the closed barrier.

This year, that was the case in 34.8 percent of accidents at railway crossings. Last year it was 36 percent. The rail manager pointed out that these railway accidents are more likely to be fatal than end in injuries. “In most cases, these types of risks have a fatal consequence,” ProRail said.

To warn of the dangers of not being careful at railway crossings, ProRail launched an information campaign. The rail manager will share videos on its website and social media channels about the dangers of being reckless when it comes to train traffic.