Florida Department of Transportation Highlights Innovative Safety Measures as Part of Rail Safety Week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is joining Florida’s rail organizations, law enforcement agencies, and community partners in recognizing Rail Safety Week, taking place September 21–27. The annual campaign promotes safe decision-making around railroad tracks through engineering, education,  and enforcement. This year’s campaign, Zero Room for Error, reminds motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists that rail safety is a shared responsibility and that making smart decisions at rail crossings can help reduce preventable tragedies. 

“Florida is focused on implementing transformational transportation projects that enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “This includes rail initiatives, and FDOT is committed to take a bold approach to move the needle on rail safety and save lives.” 

As rail has become a prominent part of Florida’s transportation system, FDOT has taken a multi-pronged approach to address rail safety from all angles. Since 2022, the Department has invested over $60 million in rail safety projects across the state. To continue turning these investments into action and raise the bar with engineering, FDOT completely overhauled its rail safety standards to truly transform rail safety from the ground up. This effort established the most robust rail safety standards in the country that surpasses national standards and includes design elements like upgraded pedestrian-activated warning systems, double-gates, and LED-enhanced signage. These one-of-a-kind standards are now being accelerated for implementation thanks to a grant recently received from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to expedite this work and entirely revamp over 900 rail crossings throughout the state. The grant will prioritize locations with the highest history of incidents to maximize safety features at crossings that need it most.  

This comes after FDOT championed the creation and expansion of dynamic envelopes across the state and more recently, piloted early train detection sensors in northeast Florida to address recurring blocked crossings. Both features address factors that contribute to unsafe driver actions, such as stopping on the tracks or going around lowered gates. While dynamic envelopes have become standard at state-owned crossings, train detection sensors are a recent innovation that identifies approaching trains in real time and shares that information directly with commercial navigation apps, like Waze and Google Maps, that can automatically reroute vehicles before drivers reach a blocked crossing due to train activity. This limits the opportunity for drivers to make unsafe choices, and early results from the pilot project show improved driver routing and fewer instances of vehicles lining up on the tracks. 

During this year’s Rail Safety Week, FDOT has also partnered with law enforcement to conduct a High Visibility Enforcement Campaign at high-traffic rail crossings throughout the state. Officers will blend education and enforcement efforts to monitor unsafe behaviors and educate the traveling public on how to stay safe around train tracks.  

Engineering improvements and enforcement are only part of the solution. Rail Safety Week reinforces that safe infrastructure and informed decisions work together to help prevent tragedies and support FDOT’s target of zero fatalities and serious injuries on the state’s transportation system. By continuing to invest in safety and working together with our partners, we can help protect lives and keep Florida’s transportation system moving safely. 

Every crossing deserves your full attention, and every warning device is there to help keep people safe. FDOT reminds travelers that there is zero room for error at railroad crossings. Always follow these important safety tips when around railroad tracks: 

• Obey all warning signals and lights. 

• Stay alert and avoid distractions near railroad tracks. 

• Always stop behind the white line at crossings. 

• Never drive around lowered crossing gates or stop on railroad tracks. 

• If you do find yourself on the tracks when the gate comes down, drive forward, break the gate, and move out of harm’s way. 

• Never walk along or trespass on railroad tracks and cross tracks only at designated crossings. 

• If your vehicle becomes stuck on the tracks, exit immediately, move away from the tracks, and call 911.